Love Is Not A Crime
by damien455
Summary: COMPLETED! Chp 33 uploaded! A NickGreg slash. Focus is mainly on Greg and Nick and their lives at the lab and home. Contains GSR and hints at CWR. Read and Review. This is my first CSI: fic.
1. An Interesting Day

"_Love is Not a Crime"_

Disclaimer: I do now own CSI: unfortunately. Any characters you don't recognize directly will most likely be of my creation. Thank you, and enjoy.

_AN: This is a Nick/Greg slash fic. If such relationships between men make you uncomfortable, this story is not for you. _

Chapter One:**_ Another Interesting Day_**

Date: October 30, 2004

Nick Stokes awoke to a usual and most familiar smell. The smell was not strong, but it wasn't weak. It was a mixture of oranges, and cranberries. His dark eyes squinted at the alarm next to the bed. It read 5:45. He let out a groan, and pulled his groggy body out from under the comforter. He let out a shiver, as he walked over to the opposite side of the room, and closed the apartment window. He sighed, and let out a curse word. It was a cold morning, even for Las Vegas.

He opened the bedroom closet, and pulled out a hoodie sweatshirt and threw it on over his L.A. Dodger's tee shirt. After he was warm, he opened the door to the bedroom, and walked down the hallway to use the bathroom.

The bathroom door was shut, and steam was coming through the crack at the bottom of the door. He opened the door, and steam came out at him, the water hitting the shower doo,r as raindrops hit the pavement.

A blood curdling singing voice could be heard over the shower water and the fan, which was failing at its job to collect the steam.

"Sweetheart, singing isn't your best quality." said Nick, as he wiped steam off the mirror, and pulled a razor and a canister shaving cream out from under the sink.

"Hey, I don' t talk about your snoring, so don't talk about my singing." came the voice from the shower.

"I do not snore. Plus, you want to hurry up in there? I start my shift at seven." said Nick, as he drew the razor over his lathered face.

"Sorry." said the voice, as the water turned off, and the shower door slid open.

Nick turned around and looked at his lover...Greg Sanders.

"You want to pass me the towel?" he asked as he stood there shivering, his athletic body covered in goose bumps.

"Sure." smiled Nick as he handed over the towel and leaned in for a kiss. Greg graciously accepted both. Nick laughed at the transfer of shaving cream onto Greg's face.

"I'll make breakfast, after I'm dressed." said Greg as he exited the bathroom, and shut the door.

Nick continued shaving until his face was smooth once again. He slid his clothing off, and turned the shower on, and hopped into the hot waterfall.

He stood under the water for five luxurious minutes before indulging himself with Greg's orange-cranberry body wash.

Everything in his life felt right, and normal for the first time in months. Greg was the first guy, he'd ever been with sexually. He smiles at the mere thought of his boyfriend, of almost four months. No one at the Crime Lab knew about their relationship, except Catherine, who Nick regarded as one of his best friends.

Nick pulled into his usual parking place at the Crime Lab. Greg followed behind him. The two lovers decided they weren't ready to tell people such as Grissom, Brass and Warrick that they were in fact having a relationship.

"Good morning, Nick." said Greg casually as a group of rookie CSIs passed.

"Morning." Nick smiled back at the younger man as they walked into the building.

"Dinner tonight, your place?" suggested Greg as they both scanned their ID cards in the electronic scanner to let them in the building.

"That's fine. If I'm not out on a scene, I'll stop by your lab, and we can do lunch or something." smiled Nick, as Nick went towards the CSI locker room, and Greg went in the other direction towards _his_ DNA lab.

Nick entered the conference room five minutes after a meeting had already started.

"Sorry, Gris. I didn't know we had a meeting planned today." said Nick apologetically.

"I left a message on your answering machine." said Gris in his stoic expression.

"I'm sorry. I guess I forgot to check them." lied Nick, who hasn't been home since the previous morning.

"As I was saying. Warrick, you are flying solo, a teenage girl was found dead in the woods outside town. Sara, you and I will be working on a car verus house incident, leaving six dead. Nicky, you and Catherine will be heading over to the high school, a student was found dead in the showers." said Grissom, as he handed out manilla file folders to the respective CSI agents.

"Let's go Nicky. It's you and I today." smiled Catherine as she lead the way to the parking garage.

Nick smiled, grabbed his work box (the silver boxes with all the supplies), and followed Catherine.

Nick and Catherine arrived at the local high school five minutes later. On the way over, Nick explained to Catherine why he really didn't get the message. She laughed of course.

Nick wore a dark blue turtleneck with his CSI vest over it. On his back read FORENSICS. Catherine was in her blue windbreaker, with the same words on her back. Their badges flashed in the sun, and they placed their hats atop their heads.

Nick opened Catherine's trunk, and pulled out the two work boxes.

"Ready?" asked Nick.

"Ready." responded Catherine.

The two walked towards the school. Students were bustling about outside as the two investigators approached. Students whispered when they saw Nick's gun, which was positioned on his side. Catherine's was hidden inside her wind breaker.

"Excuse me, can you tell us where we can find the principal's office?" the Texan asked a female student.

"Down the hall and to the left." she smiled and continued walking.

"Nick, aren't you just the lady killer." smiled Catherine jokingly.

"Shut up." he smiled and led the way.

The two entered the Principal's office after walking through the halls attracting conspicuous stares.

"I'm Catherine Willows, from the Las Vegas Crime Lab, and this is Nick Stokes. Would you mind showing us the body?" said Catherine, who was known for her direct, to the point introductions.

The Principal nodded without word and lead the two criminalists to the scene...the boys locker room.

The door to the locker room was taped in the yellow crime scene tape. The police officers on watch let them through and they were led to the showers. Rows of lockers surrounded them.

Nick's peripheral vision picked up on an open locker, most likely the victim's. Nick reached into his pants pocket and pulled out two latex gloves, and slipped them on over his hands, Catherine following his lead.

"His name is Alex Stevens. 17 years old, star of the Cross Country team, and president of the National Honor Society." said the Principal as he led them into the showers.

On the tiled floor, was a nude male student. A pool of crimson fluid, his blood, underneath his head. The on-scene medical examiner was crouching over the body doing his on-scene report.

"Talk to us." came Catherine's voice as she addressed the medical examiner.

"From what I can tell, he was showering, and he was killed by blunt force trauma, but I'll know more with the autopsy."

"Okay. How long, would you say, has he been dead?" asked Nick.

"I would say about 15 hours." said the medical examiner as he got up and left.

"15 hours. Let's see its about 7:30 now. So that means he died at what? 2:30?" calculated Nick.

"Yeah. So it had to be either a faculty member, or a student." Catherine responded.

"Uhm, Mr. Woods? Would you mind leaving the crime scene?" asked Nick.

Mr. Woods, the principal, nodded and left.

"Here we go." said Catherine as she opened her box, and pulled her flashlight out. "I'm going to check the locker." she said as she turned her back and walked out.

Nick nodded and began searching the shower for clues about the kid's death.

Nick's eyes lingered on something on the shower shelf, a bottle. Nick gingerly picked it up and read the name: Orange-Cranberry Fusion. The same body wash Greg has at his house.

He put the bottle back down, and started combing the body for evidence of hairs, fibers, defense marks, anything that could help narrow a suspect.

"I got something." said Catherine as she entered the shower again holding a book in his hand.

"Yeah?" asked Nick.

"Alex, here had an appointment with his guidance counselor yesterday at 2:30."

"Possible Suspect?"

"You better believe it." said Catherine with a grin on her face.

Nick smiled, today was going to be an interesting day.

That is the first chapter. This is also my first CSI: fanfiction. I hope you all liked. Please read and review!! Any feedback will be great. Yes this fic is centered around Nick and Greg. But don't worry, more hook ups will ensue. Please review!! Thank you!! –Damien455


	2. Cases Never Cease to Amaze

"_Love is Not a Crime"_

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Chapter Two:**_ Cases Never Cease To Amaze_**

Date: October 30, 2004.

Nick Stokes and Catherine Willows were in the Guidance Office's waiting room. The secretary was typing annoyingly away at her computer. Catherine was chewing her gum like a cow. It has been an hour since they left the scene of the crime to visit the counselor, but he was with a student.

"Do you think we can just barge in there?" asked Nick as he plopped another trash tabloid magazine down and picked up another.

"I wish. But we aren't cops." sighed Catherine, as she popped a bubble.

"Gum chewing is not permitted in school." said the secretary.

"I'm not a student." retorted Catherine.

"That may be, but you must set an example."

"We'll I wouldn't be chewing it if he would finish up in there. We have a job to do."

"And so does he."

Catherine groaned in defeat. Just then the office door opened, and a student exited.

"You may go in now." said the secretary.

Catherine and Nick both stood up, and grabbed their kits and went into the office.

"Greg, I need you to compare these two DNA samples for me." said Grissom as he handed the forensic chemist two cotton swabs.

"Okay. It'll be about an hour or so. Warrick as me identifying some hair he found, and I'm backed up from the Day shift."

"If you do mine first, I'll let you go back out on a scene." smiled Grissom.

"And we have a winner!" said Greg as he accepted Grissom's bribe.

Grissom walked out of the lab and down the hallway into the Crime Lab's garage, where the car from Sara and his crime scene was parked.

"I searched the car, nothing." said Sara Sidle as she took off her latex gloves and threw them onto the floor.

"There has to be something we are missing. A car crashed into a house and kills six people. I doesn't track. Keep looking. I'm going to go check on the samples." said Grissom as he exited.

Sara groaned and grabbed another pair of gloves.

"Mr. Owens, did Alex ever show up for his appointment yesterday?" asked Catherine to the counselor, Jake Owens.

"No he did not."

"Okay. Mr. Owen's we are going to need your file on Alex."

"No can do. Confidentiality."

"One. You aren't a doctor, so you don't have privilege over the documents, and two, confidentiality stops post mortem." explained Nick.

The counselor looked at Nick with a malicious look, and reached into a pile on his desk and pulled out a thick manilla folder, with **Alexander J. Stevens **etched across the front in black permanent marker. He tossed it towards Catherine, and grimaced.

"Thank you. When we are done with it, I'll return it." smiled Catherine as she picked it up and walked out of the office, Nick following.

Back at the lab, Nick and Catherine placed all Alex's locker contents on the table.

"Okay, here are the pictures of the DB." said Nick as he laid them out.

"And all the stuff on his locker." said Catherine as she placed the last item, a baseball bat on the table.

"Catherine?"

"What Nick?"

"Baseball bat. The medical examiner said he was killed by blunt force trauma."

"Turn off the lights." said Catherine, as he picked up the baseball bat and sprayed the luminal on the bat. The bat started to turn a bright blue.

"I think we got our murder weapon." smiled Nick as he turned the lights back on.

"Talk me through it, Nick." said Catherine.

"I think Stevens was taking a shower, he was washing his hair. And the killer, whoever it might be, slammed the baseball bat over his head."

"How do you figure he was washing his hair?"

"I found soap sud residue in his hair."

"Did Greg positively identify it as that?" asked Catherine.

"Speak of the devil." smiled Nick, as his chemist boyfriend entered the room.

"Well, I found several things from the swabs you took." said Greg as he took a seat.

"Okay, what did you find?" asked Catherine.

"Well, the blood on the floor was your victims. But the swab that you took from his hair Nick, is not soap sud residue."

"Then what is it?"

"Semen." said Greg with a little chuckle.

"How the hell would semen get in his hair?" asked Catherine.

"I think I know." smiled Greg, as both him and Nick burst out laughing.

"He wasn't showering. He was having sex?" stated Catherine.

"With another man." said Greg.

"Really? Why couldn't it be a woman, and the semen just transfered from her mouth, or even her –." said Catherine, knowing they knew what she meant.

"The vic's DNA did not match the semen found his hair."

"So our vic was gay, and had sex in the shower when he died, but with who."

"Get DNA samples from the boys at the school." suggested Greg.

"Not possible. There are at least seven hundred boys alone, not including the teachers." said Nick

"Teachers. Maybe it's the counselors? He did after all have an appointment with our DB at the approximate time of death." suggested Catherine.

"Interesting." said Nick, as his beeper went off.

"Let's go." said Catherine.

"Lunch at two?" asked Greg earnestly.

"Lunch at two. I'll go to your lab." smiled Nick.

Greg smiled, and made sure no one was in sight, and he reached forward and kissed Nick. Nick started to kiss back furiously.

"Excuse me boys. We got work to do." smiled Catherine as she broke the two up.

"Sorry." said the two in unison, and went their separate ways.

"Autopsy on the bodies confirmed that the six people in the house were dead at least twenty-five minutes before the car crashed." said Grissom as he read the report to Sara.

"That would explain why the bodies were still flowing with blood. But what about the car? Could it be a distraction to make us think that it killed the family?"

"Perhaps. But I'm not sure. We need to look at the house."

"Then let's go." said Sara as she led the way out of the lab.

There is the end of chapter two, I hope you all enjoyed. Please review!!! Thanks.


	3. Too Close To Home

"_Love Is Not a Crime"_

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Chapter Three: **_To Close To Home_**

Date: October 30, 2004

"Mr. Owens, can we have a DNA sample?" asked Catherine, who was sitting across from the counselor.

"What for?" he asked rather rudely.

"We need a sample from anyone with a personal connection to the victim." said Nick.

"Well in that case, no."

"We thought you would say no, so we issued a warrant. Open up please."

Mr. Owens moaned and opened his mouth, as Catherine reached across the table and inserted the swab into onto his left cheek.

"Thank you." she said and packed up her things.

"The door is that way." he said in a attitudinal tone.

Catherine and Nick rolled their eyes and left the building.

Nick brought the DNA to Greg's lab at about one thirty that afternoon, and brought lunch.

"I see you brought some lunch." smiled Greg as he took something out of the printer.

"Yeah. Tuna or chicken salad?" asked Nick as he set the two sandwich containers on the table.

"Tuna, and what's that swab for?"

"It's saliva from the counselor. I need you to compare it to the semen traces found in the vic's hair."

"No problem, I'll do it now." smiled Greg as he opened the sandwich and took a bite.

"Hey, I was wondering tonight about dinner, can we invite Catherine?" said Nick.

"Sure. Why though?" asked Greg.

"Well, she is our only friend who knows about us."

"Tell her to be at your house at about eight."

Nick nodded silently, and took a bite into his sandwich. Greg could tell just by the way Nick took that bite, something was bothering him.

"Nicky?"

"Yeah?" he answered silently.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. What makes you say that?"

"I can tell. Come on spill."

"Its this case. I don't know. I just feel weird."

"Is it because the victim is gay, and so are you?"

"Sorta. I guess."

"Nick, I love you, you can tell me."

"I love you too, more than you will ever know. And what if this kid was killed because he was gay?"

"Then there is a killer out there, who hates people who are different, and you'll catch him and bring him to justice."

"But what if I don't catch him?"

"Nick, you haven't had an unsolved case in a long time. This won't be one of those. I promise." said Greg as he reached over across the table and placed his left hand in Nick's.

There was an electronic beeping. The DNA was finished.

Greg got up and walked over to the printer and looked at the paper copy.

"Your suspect's saliva matches the semen found on the victim. Your suspect was at the scene of the crime."

Nick smiled and went over and pecked Greg on the cheek.

"I got a suspect to bring in. See you tonight, and I love you."

"Love you too. See you soon."

Nick, Catherine and Brass walked into the school that afternoon. School was just about to let out for the day. Students stopped and stared at the three armed persons. Nick and Catherine had their guns on their sides as well as Brass's.

They entered the office.

"Jake Owens, you are under arrest for the murder of Alex Stevens. You have the right to remain silent, anything you say or do can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney, if you can't afford one, the court will appoint council to you."

"I did not murder anyone!" he protested as Brass placed the cold steel handcuffs on his wrists.

"Tell it downtown."

"Did you kill Alex Stevens?" Brass asked Owens in the interrogation room of the Crime Lab.

"No." said Jake, whose blue eyes were glazing over. Nick was struck with a sense of compassion for him.

"Brass, can you leave us alone with the suspect?" Nick asked.

Brass looked confused, and nodded, and went out the door.

"Mr. Owens, we found seminal fluid in Alex's hair. With your DNA sample, we identified it as yours." said Catherine, who was standing by the window.

"Yes, it was my semen." he answered.

"So you admit to having sex with Alex that afternoon in _that_ locker room?"

"Yes. Alex and I were in love. I loved him so much, and he loved me. It all started after one of our sessions, he told me he was gay and had a crush on me, and I just fell for him. I know its illegal, but we kept it secret for a year and when he was eighteen we were going to go public."

"I understand. But did you have a fight with him, and you ran and grabbed the baseball bat and smashed it over his head?" suggested Nick.

"No, I could never hurt anyone, let alone him."

"You understand we have to hold you. We are going to set up a polygraph test to see whether or not you are telling the truth, standard procedure. If you pass, we won't charge you with murder, but we have to charge you with risk of injury to a minor, that law extends postmortem." said Catherine.

Jake nodded silently, tears were silently streaming down his face. Nick's eyes began to glaze over as he looked at the man sitting across from him.

Nick gathered the file off the table, and exited, Catherine following behind him.

"Nicky?" Catherine asked as she placed a hand on his shoulder. Nick just shrugged her hand off, and went into the mens room.

Catherine followed him into the mens room, Brass was in the hall way watching.

Nick was in the corner of the bathroom crouched with his back against the wall; tears coming down his face in rivers. He was crying.

"Nick, its okay." she whispered as she took a seat next to him.

"This case is too close to home. I can't do it." he muttered in between sniffles.

"I know. But you can do it. We have to bring this kid to justice. Let's go back to the school and look around, there is something we're missing. Then we'll come back here, sign out, and have dinner with Greg." she said soothingly as she rubbed his black hair gently.

He nodded, and stood up and walked to the sink and splashed cold water on his face.

"Let's do it." he said and led the way out of the mens room.

I hope you all liked that chapter. Next one coming up soon!! Review!!


	4. Love Is In The Air

"_Love is Not a Crime"_

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Chapter Four: **_Love Is In The Air_**

Date: October 30, 2004

Nick busted through the locker room that afternoon. The school reopened the room, so there were half-naked jocks changing.

"Boys, cover up what you don't want seen." said Catherine as she walked towards the showers.

"I'm with the Crime Lab. One by one, I need a DNA sample from each and everyone one of you." said the blonde bombshell, as she pulled her gloves on and picked up some swabs.

The football players and cross country runners moaned as they formed the line.

Nick preceded into the showers, all evidence was mostly washed away because the showers were running.

"Catherine, evidence is washed away." said Nick solemnly as she collected DNA.

"Why the hell would the school let them use the facility? A student was murdered in the damn showers."

"I know. No one has respect for what we do."

"I hear ya. Let's blow this joint, and head back to the layout room and review what we have so far."

"What about dinner? Greg is off in a hour and so am I for the night anyways."

"Okay, well lets start, and we can continue tomorrow morning." said Catherine as she placed the fifty swabs in her kit.

Greg was working in his lab. His brown eyes shifted up towards the clock. He had only ten minutes until he was off. He placed frozen seminal fluid back into the freezer, and pulled his latex gloves off his sweaty hands.

"Greg?" came a voice behind him.

Greg was hoping it was Nick, but was wrong.

"Oh, Grissom. Hey what's up?"

"Nothing. Do you have my blood sample?"

"Yes. It won't be done until my next shift. I'm off in ten."

"That's fine. That is actually not why I came by."

"Oh?" asked Greg perplexed, and confused.

"The day shift is talking about you."

"What is Eckley and his crew saying about me?"

"They are saying that you are kind of gay."

Greg felt as if he was going to throw up. It was different then it was when he was in high school, and people would ask him. This was work, his colleagues talking behind his back.

"Is this high school? Or work?"

"I ask that question sometimes myself, Greg. I just wanted to let you know what they're saying."

"Thank you Gris."

Grissom turned on his heel and left the lab. Anger was filling Greg, he was upset. He strode over to a pile of results he printed, and found a print out about Eckley's case. In anger, he ripped it up and threw it into the garbage can. No care in the world.

Greg pulled his red Civic into Nick's driveway at about ten after seven. He pulled his overnight bag out from the backseat and walked up to the front door. His eyes lingered on the gold SUV, belonging to Catherine, in the driveway, to Nick's blue one in front.

"Hey." smiled Nick as he opened the door, and kissed the Greg.

"Hey." smiled Greg, as he kissed Nick back.

"I know that look, what's wrong?" said Nick as Greg walked past him and into the living room.

"What makes you think something is wrong?" asked Greg as Catherine handed him a soda.

"Your eyes are glassy." said Catherine answering for Nick.

"Nothing, just Eckley and his crew."

"What did Conrad do this time?" said Nick.

"Apparently, he was talking shit about me. He was saying I was gay. And Grissom overheard him and told me right before I came here." explained Greg.

Nick's face twisted in anger, as Catherine's jaw dropped in shock.

"I'm gonna kill him!" said Nick pissed off.

"Nick calm down. It's not that big of deal." said Greg who was trying to calm his boyfriend down.

"Yes it is. Next he'll be accusing me of something."

"Wouldn't be the first time." pointed out Catherine.

"Huh?" asked Greg confused.

"Remember the time, Nick was accused, by Conrad, of murder? Way back when Nick was straight." said Catherine.

"Oh right the hooker."

Nick rolled his eyes at the memory, and took a seat.

"Let's not worry about it. Eckley needs to grow up. So what are we having?" said Greg as he changed the subject rather fast.

Nick looked at Greg, and answered, "Chicken Marsala."

Greg smiled and his stomach made a rumbling noise.

"I guess someone is hungry." laughed Catherine as she got up to get the chicken out of the oven.

Once, Catherine was in the kitchen, Nick scooted over to Greg and placed his hand on Greg's knee.

"Don't worry about anything people say. I love you and that is all that matters." whispered Nick into Greg's ear. Greg smiled, and turned his head and kissed Nick on the lips.

"I love you too." he said as he got up and went into the kitchen to assist Catherine.

Nick remained sitting on his couch, looking at the picture of him and Greg on the mantle. A smile etched itself onto his face as he stared at the picture. It was of them at a water park in July.

"_Excuse me, can you take a picture of us please?" Greg asked an elderly woman._

"_Of course dear." she said as she took the camera and held it up to her eye. "Say cheese!"_

_Nick and Greg huddled together, their arms around each other's shoulders. Smiles as big as the contiguous US on their faces. _

"Oh my God. That was awesome." said Sara Sidle as she turned on her back and laid back down in her bed.

"Yes it was. It's been along time since I've had that much fun." said Grissom, as he caught his breath.

"Hungry?" asked Sara.

"Starved. Sex always makes me hungry." answered Grissom.

"I know what you mean." smiled Sara as she wrapped the sheet around her body and walked out of her room.

Grissom sat up and reached onto the night table for his glasses. Once they were safely upon his face, he searched the room for his boxers. He and Sara had just thrown their clothes off and were both unaware of where they landed.

"Ice Cream?" said Sara as she stood in the doorway with a carton on vanilla ice cream, and two spoons.

"The best after sex snack known to man." smiled Grissom as he patted the bed for Sara to come sit down.

At ten o'clock, Catherine left. Nick and Greg placed the dishes in the dishwasher. Greg let out a yawn.

"Tired sweetie?"

"Very, mind if I turn in early?" Greg asked.

"No, I'll join you." the older man smiled and turned the kitchen light off.

The two walked down the small hallway to Nick's room. Greg went towards the bed, while Nick went into the connected bathroom.

Greg pulled his overnight bag onto the bed, and started rifling in it for his face wash. Nick came out of the bathroomdressed in boxers and a white tee-shirt. Greg smiled and went into the bathroom.

Nick climbed into his side of the bed. He had to sleep near the window because he felt safe with the stars watching him sleep. It was something he held onto since childhood. He reached over to the alarm clock, and made sure it was set for 5:45. Greg turned the bathroom light off, and climbed in next to Nick. The two snuggled in each other's arms. Nick could feel Greg's heart beating. Nick peacefully closed his eyes and drifted into a peaceful slumber. All was perfect.

I hope you all enjoyed. Review please! And yes Sara and Grissom are now an item!! Thanks.


	5. Days vs Nights

"_Love Is Not A Crime"_

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Chapter Five: **_Days verus Nights_**

Date: October 31, 2004

Nick and Catherine, along with Brass, were silently waiting at the door to the house of Alex Stevens. Nick met Mrs. Steven's briefly at Robbin's autopsy room, when she came to identify the body.

The large black door to the house opened, a teenage girl stared back at the law enforcement officials.

"Who are you?" she asked curtly. Nick assumed she was the victim's sister, boy did she look completely different than her brother. Her hair was dyed pink, she had loads of white makeup on, her eyes outlined darkly in eye liner, and her lips were plastered in black lipstick. His eyes scanned her body, she was dressed in black and purple from head to toe, and she had six inch black heels on.

"I'm Catherine Willows, with the Las Vegas Crime Lab. This is Nick Stokes and Detective Brass. We have a search warrant to search the premises." said the blonde as she handed the search warrant to the girl.

"My parents aren't home." said the girl, as she accepted the warrant.

"That doesn't matter. As long as someone is home, we have the right to search. By the way, who are you?" Nick asked.

"Christina Stevens, Alex's younger sister." she answered, as she opened the door to let them in.

"You want to show us his room?" interrupted Brass.

"Upstairs on the left." she replied, and walked into an other room.

The two climbed the stairwell, while Brass waited at the bottom of the staircase.

Nick slowly opened the door of the room, sunlight poured through the room and the room was surrounded by the morning glow.

Alex's room was so meticulous. Everything seemed to be placed in an exact place. His bed was made, which struck Nick as unusual for a seventeen year old boy. The red comforter had not one wrinkle in it. Catherine noticed that his books, in the bookcase, were in alphabetical order as well as his CDs. On the desk was a SAT prep book, and his computer.

"Look at this." said Catherine as she picked a picture up off the bed side table. Nick walked over form the desk and behind her shoulder and took a peak. It was a picture of Alex and Jake Owens. They were in a restaurant and looked very much in love.

"If he has a picture like that in his room, where anyone can see it, do you think his parents knew about the relationship?" pondered Nick.

"With a thirty-one year old man, I don't think so. But maybe they knew he was gay?"

"We should ask them, when they get home."

"You got my results?" said Eckley as he strolled into Greg's DNA lab.

Greg , who was sitting at a microscope, turned around on his swivel chair. "No."

"And why not? I could have sworn we hired technicians to do our bidding." commented Eckley.

"Yeah I think that is why you hire us, you know you CSIs wouldn't solve any of your crimes without us." retorted Greg, as he walked over to a cooler and placed a slide in it.

"Well why didn't you do my results?"

"I said I didn't have them, I never said I didn't do them."

"If you did them, then you would have them. I don't like mind games Sanders." said Eckley, who was getting angered.

"I ripped them up." smiled Greg.

"I'll have your job for that." growled Eckley.

"My supervisor is Grissom, he'll never fire me. Oh, and if you ever talk about me behind my back again it won't just be your results next time, it might be the evidence itself." smirked Greg as he returned to his work.

"So? Anything in the room?" asked Brass, as the two CSIs descended the staircase.

"Nothing, not even a speck of dust." replied Catherine in defeat.

"So the kid was a neat freak?" Brass asked as he noticed a van pulling into the driveway.

"Very much so. Looks like the parents are home, so I guess we can question them now." said Nick as he saw two distraught looking parents get out of the blue automobile.

"Mr and Mrs. Stevens?" Brass asked.

"Yes, and you are?" responded the man, who looked disgruntled in his sweat suit.

"Detective Brass. This here is Investigator Stokes and Willows. We have been assigned your son's case. Can we ask you a few questions?"

"How did you get in our house?" asked Mrs. Stevens defensively.

"Your daughter. We had a warrant to search Alex's room, we just finished."

The two adults grunted rudely, and led the way into the kitchen.

As they walked through the hallway to the kitchen, Nick picked up on the pictures on the walls and end table. All of were Alex, and there were a few of Christina.

"Mrs. Stevens, did you notice a change of behavior in Alex?" Catherine asked, as she dug out a notepad from her vest.

She shifted uneasily in her seat, and answered, "No. He was the same. Actually, now that I think about it, he was the happiest than he had been in along time."

"How so?" asked Catherine.

"He was always smiling. He was doing better in school. He was actually talking to his sister like a civilized person." she responded as she looked at the clock.

"Do you know what he was happy about?" Nick asked.

"No, that he didn't tell us. We suspected he had a girlfriend or something like that."

_They didn't know!?_ Nick thought frantically to himself.

"Ma'am, your son was gay." said Catherine as she looked at the parents.

"Our son wasn't gay. He didn't wear girls clothes, or makeup. He didn't have a limp wrist or talk like a girl. He played Cross country and baseball." said Mrs. Stevens.

"That's a stereotype Mrs. Stevens. I know its hard to accept–"started Nick, who was cut off.

"Our son was not a fag. And I think it is time you leave." said Mr. Stevens, as he pointed towards the door.

Nick and Catherine hung their heads and headed out. Defeated.

Nick and Catherine entered the Crime Lab shortly before lunch time. "What do you want to eat?" the older asked the younger. "Baloney and mayo." he responded as he went towards the soda machine, and she went the other way to the sandwich vendor, who the lab pays every week to deliver sandwiches for the forensic officials to eat.

On his way back from getting the sodas, he noticed Greg wasn't in his lab. This confused him. Greg was always in his lab.

Eckley and one of his CSIs were in the break room laughing over coffee.

Catherine was at the counter spreading mayo on the sandwiches, and Nick took a seat opposite Eckley.

"What's so funny Conrad?" Nick asked politely.

"Sanders got suspended." he responded with a snort and a laugh.

"What?! Why?" demanded Nick.

"He destroyed my results. Gil had to do something about it. Plus, it would be nice to not see his faggy face for a while." said Eckley.

Nick boiled in anger, he got up and walked out. Catherine was in shock, and Conrad burst into laughter with his other CSI.

"You day shift bastards think you are the shit. Maybe you didn't get the damn memo, but the night shift is beating your asses. 99 solved cases to 65 in three months. Laugh about that." retorted Catherine as she got up and left with her sandwich and coke.

Nick searched the entire Crime Lab for Greg but he was no where. He was about to give up, when he decided to check outside. Sure enough he was there. Greg was sitting on the steps in the back of the building. His blue lab coat rolled into a ball at his side, and a lit cigarette in his right hand.

"Greg, put it out." Nick said sternly, as he took a seat next to his boyfriend. There was one thing Nick couldn't stand, and that was his boyfriend's tendencies to smoke when upset.

Greg rolled his eyes and abided by flicking the half lit cigarette into the street.

"What happened?" the older man asked, intent on getting a response.

"Gris suspended me for three days." Greg answered solemnly.

"Why? What prompted you to do that to Eckley's results, besides the fact that it was Eckley?"

"He was talking about. And I guess in anger, I ripped the paper. It was not even a case breaking result. It was negative. But you know I cant get into detail. It's not that bad after all. Sure I'm all pissy, but I have been wanting to ask for a few days off anyways; because this job drains me of all social life interactions." said Greg in a mild tone.

Nick laughed a little. He knew how frustrating Greg's job was. After all, the CSIs take advantage of him. After all he was the only DNA lab tech in all Las Vegas.

"You can sleep in, relax, watch crappy day time television, and god knows what else." smiled Nick.

"So I guess it's not that bad, it is just that Eckley needs to get a life. He harasses me quite often and it pisses me off. Not to mention he makes fun of my fashion sense." Greg rambled on, making a sad face at the last part about the clothes.

Nick laughed, Greg did have an eclectic taste when it came to clothes. His brown eyes lingered on Greg's outfit that day. A neon orange shirt, a green teeshirt underneath, and a pair of black cargos. Nick honestly loved his clothes.

"I love your clothes. They are so bold."

"I love it when you talk about my clothes, Mr. Stokes." said Greg is a sensual voice.

"Why Mr. Sanders are you seducing me?"

Greg smiled and put his hand in Nick's. Nick smiled back. Everything was perfect. The two continued to sit there looking out at the street for ten more minutes before Nick's cell phone rang. Nick moaned and reached into his pocket and pulled out his cell phone and looked at the caller ID.

_Catherine Willows_

"Hello?" Nick said into the receiver of the cellular device.

A pause.

"Okay, I'll be right there." Nick replied and flipped the phone shut. He said his goodbyes with Greg and headed back inside to meet Catherine.

I hope you all enjoyed that Chapter. I know I did enjoy writing it. I am overwhelmed and ecstatic about the reviews that I received for the first couple of chapters. Thank you, and keep it up. Remember to review.

In the coming Chapters: Nick and Greg celebrate an anniversary; Grissom and Sara's relationship turns for the better? Or the worse?; Nick returns home to Texas.

Thanks– Damien455


	6. Call Back Home

"_Love Is Not A Crime"_

Disclaimer: See Chapter one, if it really interests you.

Chapter Six: **_Call Back Home_**

Date: November 1, 2004

Nick was sitting at his kitchen counter, early the next morning. _The Las Vegas Tribune _sitting neatly in its pink bag, untouched. He wasn't intending on reading it anyways. He sat there, a cup of coffee resting in the corner, steam ever so gently rising from the cup. A case file was open in front of the crime scene investigator as he poured over the information he and Catherine gathered over the last two days. Everything was a dead end. The body of the young boy was being remanded to a funeral home that very morning. It was a hard case to solve.

Nick let out a grunt of annoyance and reached across the counter and grabbed a bowl of candy, which was left over from the previous night. He only had fifty trick or treaters. He popped a mini snickers into his mouth, and took a sip of his coffee.

Greg, his boyfriend of almost five months, was suspended from work, so it made Nick a little sad that he wouldn't be in today. Nick head a familiar rustling sound, which he quickly identified as mail through a mail slot. He hated that he received mail at eight o'clock in the morning.

He got up and bent down to pick up his small stack of mail. Bill, Bill, Bill, Junk, Junk, ESPN magazine, and a small white envelope with his name and address written in calligraphy.

He opened the envelope and pulled out card with a purple ribbon on it. He opened it and read:

_Mr. Nicholas Stokes, and guest–_

_Richard and Evelyn Herring present their son,_

_George Herring, _

_and_

_Michael and Laura Stokes present their daughter, _

_Paula Stokes,_

_to be engaged in the sacrament of Holy Matrimony._

_The date is November 6, 2004 at one thirty, with_

_a reception immediately following. _

_Please RSVP by August 17, 2004._

Nick was baffled, his older sister was getting married? And the RSVP date is several months past. How can his family forget to mention this important fact? Would he go? It has been awhile since he had been in Texas. Would he invite Greg? He needed to call his mother.

Nick picked up the phone from the charger and dialed his old home number in Dallas. He hadn't talked to his parents in quite while. They didn't approve of his career. Everyone in his family was in the law profession, 3 of his sisters, and his only brother, his other sister was a trauma surgeon, and that was an acceptable career in his parent's eyes, but his career wasn't. They viewed it as a blush on the Stokes family's good name, if there was such a thing.

– Phone Conversation –

Mrs. Stokes: Hello?

Nick: Hey Mom

Mrs. Stokes: Danny, is that you?

Nick: No Mom, it's Nicky.

Mrs. Stokes: How are you dear?

Nick: Fine, you?

Mrs. Stokes: Fine.

Nick: How's papa?

Mrs. Stokes: Fine. Why are you calling?

Nick: I just got the invitation for Paula's wedding. How come I didn't know about it?

Mrs. Stokes: I don't know. We figured you wouldn't want to be bothered from your job.

Nick: Bull. Mom, I' coming. I just wish I got an invitation on time.

Mrs. Stokes: I didn't send them. Your sister Melanie was in charge.

Nick: Oh. Well tell Paula I'll be there with a plus one. I got to go to work. Bye.

Dial Tone

– End Phone Conversation –

Nick threw the phone down onto the counter. He knew why he didn't get the invitation on time. He remembered a blow out he and his sister Melanie had two years ago. They were fighting at Christmas about the death penalty, and they both made low blows, and he wasn't sure if she forgiven him, even though he forgave her.

He rolled his eyes and sat back down to review the case file.

I know it's short, but it was just a filler chapter about Nick and a look into his family life. Here is a list of his family, in order from oldest to youngest:

Michael Stokes, father

Laura Stokes, mother

Paula Stokes, sister

Nick

Alexandra Stokes, sister

Melanie Stokes, sister

Daniel Stokes, brother

Trisha Stokes, sister.

Yeah, Nick has a large family. I'm not sure if he ever talked about his family life on the show though. On , they have a bio about Nick and that he has six siblings, and his parents don't like his occupation. Everything else, names, and fights were created here at my house in Connecticut.

Review please!! A lot more is coming up! Thanks!

Damien455


	7. Case Solved

"_Love Is Not A Crime"_

Disclaimer: See Chapter One if it really matters to you.

Chapter Seven: **_Case Solved_**

Date: November 1, 2004

Nick entered the Crime Lab, ten minutes late that morning. He walked down the corridor and saw Grissom and Sara in the interrogation room with a suspect in their case. Nick's hands were in his pockets, he could feel the invitation, his keys, a pen, and a small vial of Tylenol. The one thing is job was good for was a headache. Nick noticed a replacement in the DNA lab, Greg wasn't able to come in for at least another two days, and that was depressing Nick.

Nick found his partner, Catherine, in the Breakroom.

"Hey Catherine, what's up?"

"Not much Nicky, You know how we both printed the bat?" she asked.

"Yeah, it was inconclusive."

"Well, the new DNA guy, while Greg is out, and I found that the bat was washed after it had been used, but, there was epithelials on the handle, which we used to extract DNA from."

"And?" Nick said happily, the case finally had a breakthrough.

"Not our victims, or the counselor." she said.

"But who, that's the only samples we got, unless you ran it through CODIS."

"Didn't have too. The DNA shared seven markers with the victim."

"A family member." stated Nick.

"Yeah, Brass is getting the warrant now."

Nick was happy, the case would be over soon, then he could ask for some time off, and go to Texas for the wedding.

"Nick, what's wrong?" the blonde asked.

"Nothing. I got an invite in the mail this morning."

"An invite to where?" she asked intently.

"My sister Paula's wedding. The RSVP date was in August though. They forgot to send me one on time."

"That's horrible. Where is this little soiree?" she asked in a mock French accent.

"Texas. I'm thinking about taking Greg with me."

"So, you going to tell your parents?" she pressed.

"No, a gay Texan is a disgrace to the state, and a gay Stokes is worse than a murderer. My cousin Alicia was a lesbian, she was ostracized by the family, and she killed herself two days later."

"Oh my God, that's horrible." Catherine said as she placed her hand on Nicks.

"Yeah, I'm going to bring Greg and say he's my roommate. I just need the time off."

"Grissom will give it to you. You haven't had a day off since that stalker incident almost two years ago."

"Yeah, and thanks for reminding me." he laughed.

"I got the warrant." Brass said as he poked his head in the Breakroom.

"Let's go." said Nick as he got up and headed out.

"What are you doing here again?" demanded Mr. Stevens as he opened the door to see the criminalists and the detective.

"We found DNA on the bat used to kill your son. Seven of thirteen markers matched." said Nick .

"What does that mean?" he asked rudely.

"That means that a family member killed Alex. We have a warrant to collect DNA from you, your wife, and your daughter." Catherine answered.

Mr. Stevens grunted again, and let them in to collect the DNA.

Greg laid in his bed looking up at the ceiling. Boredom was filling his veins furiously fast, he hate not being able to go to work. He had already watched a movie and two talk shows.

He looked at a picture on his night stand of Nick and him at the water park. The exact same picture that was in Nick's house. His eyes shifted to another picture, a picture of his family at the Sanders Family Reunion that was held in January of each year.

His dad, step-mom, mom, step-dad, brother, a step-sister, and a half-brother. His parents divorced when he was fifteen, his younger biological brother was only six at the time. Both of them remarried people younger than they were. His mother married again and had another child. While his dad remarried and adopted his new wife's daughter from a previous marriage. He hated his family dynamic. They were all so into themselves. They all lived in California, and he was the only one not in that state. He had pledged to himself after college that he would leave California. Which he was successful in doing.

His parents and family knew he was gay. He had told them when he was twenty-two, that was seven years ago, and it didn't feel like that long has past. He remembered how he figured it out, he fell in love with a fellow student, who was straight. He wouldn't have homosexual relationship for another year after coming to terms. His memory skipped to the time when he and Nick first kissed. It was at a party, and Nick was stressed and needed to talk. That talk led to Nick admitting he had feelings for another guy. Greg could remember secretly hoping it was him, and Nick admitted that it was Greg, and that made him really happy. Nick was very new to the gay lifestyle, and Greg was there to help Nick through it. He wanted Nick to tell his family, but he wasn't ready and he was scared. Greg understood, and didn't pressure Nick.

"I _love _him so much." Greg whispered to himself as he looked at the picture of himself and Nick.

"We have a match." the replacement DNA tech said as Catherine and Nick entered the lab.

"And?"

"The epithelials match Christina Stevens." the tech said.

"The sister!? Why would she kill her brother?" Nick said in a curious tone.

"That's what we need to figure out. I'll have Brass get a warrant for her arrest." Catherine said as she reached in her pocket to get her cell phone.

"She did after all have access to the school's locker rooms." Nick said, as Catherine turned her back to talk on the cell phone.

"We'll meet you there." she said as she flipped the phone shut, and grabbed her keys, "Let's go arrest a killer."

"What are you doing back here?" demanded Mrs. Stevens in an angry tone.

"We have a warrant. Christina Stevens, you are under arrest for the murder of Alexander Stevens." Brass answered.

Mrs. Stevens' head did a 180 and turned at her daughter, pissed.

"I didn't kill him!" she argued furiously.

"Forensics tell us otherwise." Catherine responded as an officer entered the house and placed cuffs on Christina.

Brass read her rights, as Catherine and Nick gave Mr and Mrs. Stevens an explanation, and their condolences.

Grissom was walking down the corridor of the Crime Lab, when he heard a familiar voice call his name. That voice belonged to Sara.

He turned around and headed in the direction of her. She was in the layout room.

"Hey." he smiled as she pulled him into a kiss.

"Hi." she said in a very girly voice.

Grissom smiled, and reached in for another kiss.

"We need to talk." Sara interrupted him.

Grissom knew that phrase all to well. He had been told it, and he had said it several times in his forty-eight years.

"The other night, I enjoyed it very much, but I need to know. Are we a couple or are we just a one night stand?" she asked.

Grissom paused.

Sara looked at him.

"We are." he said and smiled as he kissed her once again.

"So? Why did you kill your brother?" Brass asked in a subtle manner in the interrogation room.

"I didn't kill him." she responded nonchalantly.

"Okay. Then explain to us, why your DNA was on the murder weapon." Brass pushed on.

"I can't." she muttered, as her lawyer sat there.

"You knew about your brother didn't you?" Catherine interjected.

"I suppose I did." she responded.

"Did it disgust you? The fact that your brother liked other boys?" Nick asked.

"Highly. I saw him looking a nude men online, I saw him masturbating to those images. It made me sick."

"Sick enough to kill him." Brass asked.

"Don't answer that question." responded the lawyer.

"Fine. Yes I killed my brother because he was a faggot. There you fucking happy now! My parents never paid attention to me. You would think that their daughter dies her hair pink, they would notice me, but no. it was always Alex." she yelled.

"Well, Christina, your being charged with murder one." Brass said as he directed the other officer to arrest her.

"There's your attention." Catherine said rudely.

The case was finally over. Nick could rest easily at night now.

"So, you going to ask Grissom now?" Catherine asked Nick as they left the interrogation room.

"Tomorrow. Right now, I want to go home and see Greggo."

Catherine smiled.

I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. Another case will rear its head soon, most likely after Nick returns from Texas. Review please!!!

-Damien455


	8. A Secret Revealed

"_Love Is Not A Crime"_

Disclaimer: See Chapter One if it matters to you.

Chapter Eight:**_ A Secret Revealed _**

Date: November 2, 2004

Nick and Catherine were in the break room filling out case reports for their recently solved case. Warrick was, also in there as well, filling out a case report. Grissom and Sara entered.

"So, everyone finish their cases?" he asked.

"Yes." the three CSIs responded, as they continued to fill out their reports.

"Okay, well, two new cases just came in." he said, as he pulled two print outs out of a folder he was holding.

"Warrick, Catherine, and Nick, a DB found floating in a river." Grissom reported as he passed a paper to Warrick.

"Sara, you and I have a DB at the dump."

"Gross." she said in a disgusted tone.

"Uhm, Grissom can I talk with you for a second?" Nick asked, as the CSIs were getting ready to leave for their separate crime scenes. Grissom nodded and led the way to his office.

Once in the office, Grissom took a seat behind his desk, as Nick sat in a chair in front of the desk.

"I need sometime off." Nick chimed in not waiting for Grissom to ask a question.

"For what? And how many days?"

"From today until the eighth." Nick responded.

"Why?"

"My sister's wedding in Texas. I have to go. I'll be leaving tomorrow, and returning to Vegas on the seventh."

"I understand, you haven't had a day off in a long time, so I see no reason why not." Grissom responded, as he pulled a leave of absence form out from his desk.

"I also want to ask if Greg could have the same days off as well." Nick asked in hope that Grissom wouldn't make a connection.

Grissom looked at Nick with a strange look and asked, "And why, may I ask, would Greg be accompanying you?"

Nick looked a Grissom for a moment, then finally answered, "He is good friends with one of my sisters, and he was invited."

Grissom eyed Nick curiously, to see whether or not Nick was lying.

"Fine. But you both will be required to attend work on the eighth." Grissom responded as he pulled out a second form.

"Tell Warrick and Catherine that you won't be accompanying them on the case."

Nick nodded his head. A smile hidden deep inside.

Nick pulled his blue Tahoe into the driveway at Greg's apartment complex. He parked it, and got out and turned the alarm on and headed in.

He knocked on Greg's door, and waited two minutes before Greg finally opened it up.

"Hey why aren't you at work?" Greg asked as he looked at Nick. Nick smiled at his boyfriend, who was wearing a blue teeshirt, and plaid boxers. Nick reached forward and kissed Greg passionately. Greg accepted the kiss, and wouldn't break it, as he led Nick into the house, and shut the door in a slam.

"I needed that." Nick said with a smile as he laid in bed next to Greg.

"Me too." Greg smiled, as he snuggled against Nick's pecs.

"Greg I'm leaving tomorrow to go to Texas for my sister Paula's wedding; and I want you to come with me."

Greg looked up at his lover, there brown eyes meeting.

"Are you serious?" Greg asked flabbergasted.

"Yeah."

"Are you going to tell them about us?"

"I love you, but I don't think I can. My parents have never been the type of people you talk to about personal things. The last thing my dad talked to me about was sex when I was seventeen, not knowing I've been having _consensual_ sex since I was fifteen." Nick laughed.

Greg caught that last part, he was confused.

"I know that last part sounds confusing." Nick said.

"Yeah it does, you want to explain that to me?" Greg said sitting up in bed next to Nick.

"When I was nine, my babysitter forced me to do stuff, sexual stuff with her after all my siblings had gone to bed. The only person who knows is Catherine."

Greg looked a Nick, "I'm so sorry. Why didn't you tell me?", he sounded hurt.

"I was ashamed, and I thought that if you knew you wouldn't love me."

"That's ridiculous. I loved you since the first day you walked through that Crime Lab door six years ago."

Nick smiled a bit, and kissed Greg.

"So what times the flight?" he asked.

"One o'clock. We are flying first class. I wrangled my mom into making it first class."

"Sweet." Greg smiled playfully, and kissed Nick passionately.

"I need a shower." Greg said as he pulled Nick out of bed and down the hall into the bathroom.

Catherine and Warrick were in the layout room placing photos from their crime scene on the table.

"Hey, Cath can I ask you something?"

"Sure Warrick, what is it?"

"Do you think that rumor about Greg is true?"

"What rumor?" she asked confused.

"The one about him being gay, like do you think he's gay?"

Catherine didn't know what to do. Does she lie to protect Greg and possibly Nick?

"I don't know. I never really thought about it nor do I care. And rumors are just that until they are proven, just like our work, we can assume and make theories but we don't know that truth until we process evidence and witness testimonies."

Warrick nodded.

"Why, do you think he is?"

"Yeah I suppose I do kind of. I see the way he looks at Nick. I think he has a crush on Nick."

Catherine laughed a bit, and asked, "What do you think about gay people?"

"I don't know, I never really knew one, I guess I don't think of it as normal. Like why would you like another guy, when there are a lot of hot girls?"

"I have no problem with it, but I don't think its something they choose, it just happens."

Warrick nodded.

"But if Greg has a crush on Nick, he better think twice, because Nick is so straight, like he and I go to clubs a lot."

Catherine was laughing inside, if only Warrick knew the truth, and maybe _someday_ he will.

Yes, I know its another short chapter. But the next chapter will be longer, and it will take place in Texas with the Stokes family...oh god what kind of family drama will ensue. Is Warrick onto Greg? uh-oh. Review please!!

Thanks

Damien455


	9. Return Home

"_Love Is Not A Crime"_

Disclaimer: See Chapter One if it really matters.

Chapter Nine: **_Return Home_**

Date: November 3, 2004

The Las Vegas Air flight from Vegas to Dallas landed at about three-thirty.

Greg and Nick both hurriedly gathered all their magazines, CDs, walkman disk players and all other items that they had on the plane.

They exited the terminal, and went straight to the baggage terminal to collect their bags. Each man had two bags, and one suit holder which they shared.

"Are we going to rent a car?" Greg asked Nick earnestly.

"No, I think my Mom is sending a limo." he said dismally.

"Oh." Greg said. Greg knew Nick's family had money, but Nick never talked about it. His father after all was on the Texas Supreme Court, and his mom was a retired public defender. Both careers which brought in money.

"There's our ride." Nick stated as he pointed to a man in a black suit holding a sign that read, STOKES, on it. As they approached Nick recognized the man as Harry.

"Harry! How have you been?" Nick said enthusiastically as he shook Harry's hand.

"I've been good, Master Nick." he smiled humbly.

"What did I say about calling me that. Just call me Nick, just because the rest of my family demands that you call us Master or Mistress, doesn't mean you have to do that to me."

"Now you wonder why I always liked you the most." Harry replied. Harry was in his mid- sixties, with gray hair and a smile which lit up the world. He had been the Stokes' driver and butler since Paula was born some thirty-five years ago. Harry was Nick's confidant as a child.

"Harry, this is my boyfriend Greg." Nick said introducing Greg to Harry as 'his boyfriend'.

"Boyfriend?" Harry responded.

"Yeah, but it's a secret, so don't tell anyone."

"Of course, Master Nicky." Nick glared.

"Why did you tell him about us, but you aren't going to tell your family?" Greg inquired when they both sat down in the limo.

"Harry's son was gay, so I trust him, and I knew he would understand."

"Was?" Greg asked confused.

"Yeah, Robert died when I was twenty. It was tragic. He was killed in a car accident."

"Oh. So family time." Greg said, reminding Nick of something Nick promised on the plane.

"Right." Nick said digging into his backpack to retrieve a photo album.

"This is my older sister Paula, she is a juvenile court justice, and she is 35. That there is my sister, Alexandra, she is a CSO, and is 31. My brother, Dan, who is an ADA for Dallas and he is 28, that's my other sister, Melanie, she's 30 and is a trauma surgeon, and lastly my sister Trisha who is a law student, and I think she is 25."

Greg studied the picture very carefully, he was trying hard to make a good first impression. All the Stokes family looked alike, black hair and brown eyes, except that one sister, who Greg remembered was Melanie, had red streaks and Alexandra had blonde highlights, that should make for easier identification.

"You got such a big family." Greg commented.

"Yeah big and annoying." Nick laughed.

"So what are we going to do when we get there?" Greg asked.

"We will most likely get settled in, we are staying in my old room, then we will have a big family dinner, I'll most likely get criticized for being CSI, and being 33 and unmarried."

"Your sister is 35, and she is just getting married in a few days and you get ragged on?"

"Yeah, well she was engaged when she was twenty-six, but it didn't last. He cheated on her. So its understandable in my family's eyes. Did I mention they were weird?"

Greg burst out laughing.

The limo pulled into a long sloping driveway, and Greg's mouth dropped. There in front of him was a large brick house, 3 floors, and it had four Corinthian columns on it. There was a small garden with fountain in the center of the driveway. There were three cars parked, which Nick identified as his Mothers, Paulas, and Trishas.

Nick opened his door, and placed a booted foot on the ground of his childhood home. He climbed out, and stretched.

"Nicholas!" a feminine voice shrieked.

Nick turned around and saw his youngest sibling, Trisha running towards him. Her blonde high lighted hair flying in the wind, as she embraced him.

"I missed you so much!" she whined into his shoulder.

"I missed you, how's law school?"

"Hard. Work?"

"A bitch." he smiled. Trisha was his favorite sibling.

Greg climbed out of the car and looked around in awe. "Trisha this is Greg, Greg this is Trisha." Nick introduced his lover to his sister.

Greg outstretched his hand and Trisha accepted with a smile.

Nick and Greg followed Trish inside the house. The marble foyer looking more clean than usual. A large staircase was to the right, and standing in the middle of the stairs was Mrs. Stokes.

"Hey Mom." Nick said as he saw his mother.

"Hello Nicholas. Hello Nicholas' friend." she said in a very distinguished voice. Her hair streaked naturally with gray hairs, she was wearing a blue dress, with a string of pearls around her defined neck. She look so proper. (_AN: think an Emily Gilmore type person from Gilmore Girls_)

"Hi, I'm Greg." Greg responded politely.

She smiled a forced smile. Nick knew she didn't approve of his _friend_. Her dark eyes lingered on Greg's choice of clothing for the day. He had on a pair of blue jeans, track shoes, a red teeshirt with a bright yellow over shirt. His frosted hair gelled in all different crazy directions.

"Nicholas, why don't you place your belongings in your room. You know what room that is right? You haven't been here in so long I wasn't sure you still knew."

Nick rolled his eyes and led the way to his old room, which he hasn't stayed in in the longest time.

The two walked down a long hallway on the second floor to the third door on the left. Nick turned the handle, and his youth came rushing back to him.

The walls were blue with white crown mold trim. His queen bed was situated in the corner. A desk with his computer was still in the same place. Pictures of his friends and memories were all over the room. Pennants filled the walls, one for the Dallas Cowboys, another for Rice University, one for the fraternity, he was once in, Kappa Delta Epsilon.

"So this is the room, where you snuck all the girls up to when you were in high school." Greg joked.

"Nope, we always did it in their houses." he said matter-of-factly.

Greg was very okay with the fact that Nick had been with a lot of girls in the past. That didn't matter to him, because Nick was with _him _now.

Nick awoke from a short nap to see Greg changing out of his bright clothing.

"Why are you changing?" he asked as he propped himself up.

"I can tell by your Mom's looks she didn't like my clothes."

"Yeah, my mom is like that. She's not exactly discreet." Nick apologized.

"It's okay." Greg said as he decided on a white button down.

Nick smiled. He was so happy that Greg was there in Texas with him.

KNOCK, KNOCK

Greg looked at the door when he heard the knocks. He strode over to the door and opened it to reveal Trisha.

"Hey, you two. Mom says that dinner will be served in five minutes. She also wants you to come downstairs Nicholas, because everyone else just arrived. Alex and Dan are looking for you." she smiled and turned on her heel and left.

Nick groaned, and looked at the clock, 5:20, he had slept longer than he would have liked.

"Let's go." he said as he got up off the bed and grabbed Greg by the wrist, and led him out of the room. Where both wanted to hide.

Nick was seated in-between Paula and Alexandra; while Greg was placed on the opposite side in-between Trisha and Melanie. Everyone was happy that Nick was home.

Dinner had only been on for about ten minutes before his mother started.

"How is work Nicholas?" she asked as she placed a fork full of pot roast in her mouth.

Nick looked at her oddly, "Work has never been better."

"Really? Who would have thought your job would be described as 'never been better'." she retorted.

Nick glared at her, "So Gregory, what do you do?" she asked turning the conversation in Greg's direction.

"It's Greg, and I'm a DNA lab technician at the Crime Lab."

"Oh." she said distastefully.

Nick and Greg met eyes.

"What do you do?" Dan asked, joining the conversation.

"I compare DNA samples for the CSIs, and I also do some field work. I'm in training to be a CSI." he responded.

"So, Dan, Congratulations on becoming the youngest ADA in the history of Dallas." chimed in Mrs. Stokes.

Nick's dad was busy at the end of the table reading a case report and hurriedly shoving food in his mouth. Something everyone was used to.

"So Nick, you got a girlfriend?" Melanie asked, who was still dressed in her blue scrubs.

"No, I don't have a girlfriend." he responded.

"Oh. Why is that, I wonder?"she asked rudely.

"I don't have time for a girlfriend. Plus I don't want one right now."

Greg knew Nick was using the G word a lot so he wouldn't take offense, but Greg felt a little hurt.

"I would expect you to have a girlfriend, you know? You did such a good job stealing mine during high school." Dan chimed in.

Nick glared poisonously at his family.

"Dan, I've been apologizing for that for fifteen god damn years." Nick said angrily.

"Still doesn't change what happened. I could be married by now." he said viciously.

"She wasn't the marrying type."

"You would know. Look at you, your 33 years old, and still single." Dan said.

That was a low blow. Nick never felt so ostracized from his family.

Nick threw his fork down onto the table. He pulled his chair up and just walked away.

Greg looked at Nick's retreating back. He could tell Nick was hurt by the comments made, and that brought tears to his eyes.

Greg, too, threw his fork down and got up to follow Nick.

"What's their problem?" Dan asked, as they walked away.

"I don't know, but you think I would look good with light brown highlights?" Alex asked.

Whoa, Nick's family is harsh, because that is how I view them.

Review please!!

CSO Court Services Officer They assist Judges in the courtroom.

Thanks for all the reviews. Keep it up!!

–Damien455


	10. I Love You Today, Tomorrow, Forver

"_Love Is Not A Crime"_

Disclaimer: See chapter one if it really matters.

Chapter Ten:**_ I Love You Today, Tomorrow, Forever_**.

Date: November 3, 2004

Greg walked through the long hallway leading to Nick's former bedroom. Greg had figured that was where Nick retreated to. He placed his trembling hand on the knob and turned to open the door, the room was dark, Nick wasn't there.

Greg baffled started looking all over the house for Nick. After five minutes of aimlessly searching, Greg looked out a window overlooking the sloping backyard. He could see vaguely in the distance, a light in a tree house.

"Knock, knock." Greg said as he climbed a ladder into the tree house.

Nick looked at Greg and nodded for him to come up. The house had pictures that Nick had to have drawn when he was younger. Greg noticed one of the pictures was dated March 9, 1976. He wasn't even one at that point in Nick's life.

"I'm sorry about your family." Greg said as he sat down next to Nick.

"Me too." he muttered.

"Why did you bother coming if you knew they were going to be like that?" Greg asked baffled.

"Because they're my fucking family. I thought they cared about me. I don't know why I'm fooling myself that they've changed." Nick said agitated.

"I know, but you know as well as I do, people don't change easily."

"I just want them to stop nagging on me. They've always expected so much from me, and all I've done is disappoint them."

"Nick, they're hard headed, I know. But it's not your fault. You didn't do anything wrong, they can't understand you."

"It's more like they won't understand me. It's like ever since I was little I was a leper."

"Nick, I love you so much, and I hate it when you're like this." Greg said honestly.

"Greg, what's you family like?" Nick asked.

"They're weird and dysfunctional and I love them. Sure they nag on me for some things, but its not so bad. I know they care."

"I'm jealous."

"Don't be." Greg said.

"Greg, what do you see in me?"

Greg thought Nick was acting weird. Nick only had one sip of wine with his three bites of dinner.

"I see someone who is cute, nice, caring, and just an all around person. I am madly in love with you."

Nick smiled at Greg's answer.

"Hold me." Nick said in a sad soft voice.

Greg nodded his head and held Nick in his arms. Nick closed his eyes and placed his head on Greg's chest.

Nick loved being this close to Greg, being able to hear his heart beat, and his stomach moving up and down with each intake of oxygen.

"I love you today, tomorrow, forever." Greg whispered in Nick's ear, he fell into a peaceful sleep.

November 4, 2004

Sunlight poured through the tree house windows. The warm Texas rays falling upon Greg's face. He twitched and awoke, unaware of his surroundings.

He squinted, and the night's events were coming back to him. Nick was fast asleep. His head on Greg's lap. A small patch of drool, which didn't bother Greg, and the hard, ragged breathing that Nick refused to call snores.

He looked at his watch, 12:45. It was already afternoon!

He gently shook Nick awake.

"Hey sleepy head." Greg smiled as Nick awoke.

"Hi." he responded as he sat up next to Greg.

Greg reached across Nick and kissed him smoothly on the lips. "Nick, doll, you need a tic- tac." Greg snickered.

"Oh funny man." Nick said in a playful tone.

"It's after noon already."

Nick's eyes flared open, "Oh shit, we had a luncheon with the in-laws today at one."

"It's quarter of right now. We have to hurry if we are going to make it."

"Run!" Nick said as he got up and started a hurriedly decline down the ladder.

The two ran into the house, and upstairs to the bathroom. The house was deserted. There as note on the door, which read:

_Nick-_

_One o'clock lunch with the Herrings._

_Gateway Country Club._

_Don't be late for the sake of my embarrassment._

_-Mom_

Nick discarded the note and ran into the bathroom, Greg following.

"As much as I would like to have sex with you in my Mom's bathroom, we can't." Nick said as he stripped and turned the shower on.

Twenty minutes later, the two were in the garage looking for a car to go in. Nick chose the blue BMW X5. Nick, dressed in khakis and a green sweater hoped in the driver's seat, as Greg plopped in on the other side. Thank god the club was only five minutes away.

Greg was busy in the mirror, gelling his hair. He was wearing black dress pants, and a blue button down. He wanted to impress so badly.

The two pulled into the parking lot, and parked the car in a reserved spot. They got out of the car and ran as fast as they could to the door, where they were met by a maitre d'hotel.

'Reservations?" he asked in a proper, refined voice.

"Uhm, Stokes or Herring, it's one of those." Nick replied, as Greg looked around at the elaborate dining hall.

"Ah, Stokes. They arrived about twenty-minutes ago. You wish to join them?"

"Yes, that's why I asked." Nick said in a rude tone. He hated when people were stupid.

Nick and Greg were led outside onto a patio, where at a semi-large table, sat Mr and Mrs. Herring, Paula, her fiancé, Laura Stokes, and Trisha, not including the two empty seats.

"Hi. I am so sorry, we're late. We overslept." Nick apologized as he kissed his mother's cheek. Greg just nodded.

"Richard, Evelyn, and George, this is my older brother Nick and his friend Gregory." Paula said as she made introductions. Like Nick was incapable of doing that.

Evelyn smiled disdainfully as she glanced at Greg.

"Where do you live?" Richard asked Nick and Greg.

"Las Vegas." Nick answered as the waitress came by to get their drink orders. Nick ordered a scotch and soda, while Greg ordered a Coke.

"I see, and what is it that you do?" he pressed on.

"Here's a conversation stopper." Paula whispered to George, Nick heard her.

"I'm a crime scene investigator. Greg here is a DNA technician." Nick answered.

Richard nodded his head.

The Herrings were one of the most prominent families in Dallas, right up their with the Stokes family. Richard Stokes, was a wealthy oil company owner, while Evelyn was an author under the pen name of Rita Roland. Very few people knew her secret. George was a forty year old stock broker, who also had money.

"Now, Nick, a boy your age, why aren't you married?" Evelyn ask. Nick smiled, she set herself up for that one.

"Your son is forty, why wasn't he married at my age then? But here he is engaged to marry someone five years his junior." he retorted.

Laura, Paula, Evelyn and Richard stared at Nick, aghast. George cleared his throat, and departed the table. Nick knew he had hurt his feelings, but he and everyone else knew he was right.

Paula glared evilly at Nick, and went after him. The tension at the table was building.

"So, how about them Cowboys." said Greg trying to lighten the mood. The three elderly adults remained unphased, while Nick cracked a small smile, and Trisha let out a laugh.

_I'm so going to get it when I get home._ Nick thought to himself as he drank his scotch.

Greg was annoyed. He reached inside his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes, and a lighter. He placed the shaft between his lips, and lit up. Laura glared at him, as did Evelyn and Richard. Nick rolled his eyes and reached across and took the cigarette from his lips, and out it out in the glass of water on the table.

"You know I hate it when you do that." Nick scolded.

"I'm sorry." Greg apologized.

For the first time in the public eye, Greg and Nick acted like a couple. Not through actions but in the manner in which they talked with each other. Trish looked at the two intently.

She knew.

Uh-oh, she knows? What will she do? Will she tell her family? Does she approve?

Review please!!

Thanks–

Damien455


	11. Midnight

"_Love Is Not A Crime"_

Disclaimer: See chapter one if it really matters to you.

Chapter Eleven: **_Midnight_**

Date: November 4, 2004

Nick and Greg pulled in the long driveway of the Stokes residence at about four o'clock. Lunch was a disaster. When George returned to the table, Nick apologized. George accepted it, or so he pretended to.

Trisha's car was already at the house, that girl drove at least eighty no matter where she is.

Laura Stokes wasn't home yet for she was accompanying Paula, George and his parents to the dining hall where the reception would be held.

The two men walked into the house, and headed into the kitchen for something to snack on. Trisha was in the kitchen sitting at the island reading a textbook on Criminal Law, and eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

"Oh PB and J." Greg smiled as he saw the fixings on the island. "Help yourself." Trisha smiled. And Greg did just that.

"Want one Nick?" he asked.

"I don't like peanut butter." he responded as he poured a glass of lemonade for himself, Greg and Trisha.

"Sorry, I forgot." Greg apologized.

Nick nodded his acceptance of Greg's apology. Trisha looked up and studied the two boys.

"So how long as it been?" she interjected amongst jotting something down on her pad.

"What?" Nick asked confused, as Greg tried to speak but was hindered by the mouthful of peanut butter and jelly.

"How long have you two been dating?" she repeated the question.

"What makes you think we are dating?" Nick asked fearful.

"I can tell by the way you interact."

Nick looked at her, then looked at Greg.

"Trisha, please don't tell anyone especially Mom." Nick responded in a shaky voice.

"Nick, I would never tell something like that to anyone." she responded, closing her book.

"It's been five months." Greg said, answering her previous question.

"I think it's great that you both have someone." she smiled.

"Yeah." they answered in unison.

The three spent the rest of the afternoon talking, and just chilling. Nick loved his littlest sister more than any other of his sisters. At around six, Paula and Laura returned home, both bitching about how the florist picked azaleas instead of tulips. Nick, Greg, and Trisha went to a restaurant for dinner shortly after and didn't return until nine o'clock. Nick and Greg fell asleep at midnight, after three hours of passionate love-making.

November 5, 2004

Greg and Nick spent the entire day together, seeing the sights of Dallas. Both returned in time for the rehearsal dinner, their skin tan from being out in the Texan sun. Despite it being fall, the sun still scorched.

"Hey, how was your day?" Trisha asked as she was doing her hair for the rehearsal dinner.

"Excellent. Nicky taught me how to ride a horse." Greg exclaimed excited. Nick stood behind him smiling.

"You've never ridden a horse before?" Trisha asked as if it were a crime not to have.

"Nope." he smiled.

"Now you're a Texan." she smiled. Greg never noticed before, but she had a slight accent.

"Nicholas." came a voice from behind Nick, which he identified as his mother's.

"Yeah Mom." he responded as he rolled his eyes.

"I suggest that you get ready for the rehearsal."

Nick nodded, as she walked away.

"How come you aren't a bridesmaid?" Greg asked Trisha as she placed pink lip gloss on her lips.

"Paula already had enough." she said in a hurt voice.

"Who are the bridesmaids?"

"Alex, Melanie, her best friends Greta and Natalie."

"She couldn't include her other sister?" Greg asked rudely.

"Apparently not. I don't care though. Pink is not my color." she said in a matter-of-fact voice.

Greg laughed.

The rehearsal dinner went smoothly. There was no criticism of Nick or anyone. Melanie was ten minutes late, still dressed in her blue scrubs.

November 7, 2004

The wedding was beautiful. Everything was well planned out, and everyone was just happy. Paula and George left the next morning early for a honeymoon in Rome and Venice for six weeks. Nick thought it a little long, but once again his opinion didn't matter because he wasn't married.

Greg awoke at six o'clock that morning to get everything in order, for Nick and him were about to fly back to Las Vegas and get back into the swing of work.

Nick was curled up in the bed, silent snores escaping through his nasal cavity. He was tired, and did have a lot to drink the previous night at the wedding.

Greg found the plain tickets in the Nick's backpack. Their flight would be leaving at one o'clock and arriving at three o'clock.

Nick awoke twenty minutes later to see Greg sitting at the table reviewing the manual for becoming a CSI.

"Morning sleepy head." he smiled as he abandoned his book and looked at Nick.

Nick smiled, and climbed out of the bed, once standing he stretched and adjusted himself.

"We leave at one right?" Nick asked with a yawn following.

"Yeah. Your Mom is having the cooks make breakfast, it should be ready at about eight."

Nick smiled, his Mom was so weird.

At eight o'clock, Nick and Greg went downstairs to indulge in breakfast. His mother, father, and Trisha were there, already eating.

"Morning." Nick said to his father and mother, and took his seat.

"Morning Nicky." his father said, who was busy reading the business section of the paper.

"Good morning, Greg." Trisha said smiling.

"Morning." he answered.

'What time is your flight, Nicky?" his mother asked, as she sipped her tea.

"One. But we are leaving here at eleven because I want to show Greg that park you used to take me."

Greg stared at Nick. His mother used to bring him to a park? Talk about surprising.

The two went to the park, then headed over to the airport, to catch their plane home. Nick was so happy to be going home. Greg was too. They both missed work and their friends.

Once aboard the plane, Greg asked Nick a question.

"Where was the weirdest place you've ever had sex?"

Nick stared at Greg surprised by the question.

"The Dallas Cowboys football arena, in September 1989." Nick answered without a moment of hesitation.

Greg snickered. "You?"

"The mall bathroom when I was nineteen."

Nick laughed as well.

"How many women and men have you been with?" Nick asked.

Greg started counting in his head, "5 women, 8 men including you." he answered.

Nick nodded, his face blushed and he answered his own question, "35 women, and just you."

"You slut." Greg responded with a laugh.

"Ugh, you bitch." Nick responded, as he reached over and kissed Greg.

"I'm your bitch." Greg said after the two broke the kiss, only to be re-emerged in it.

I hope you all liked. I know its all over the place, but I really wanted them to get back to Las Vegas for the new murders. Review!! Thanks! Damien455


	12. Mayonaisse Anyone?

"_Love Is Not A Crime"_

Disclaimer: See chapter one

Chapter Twelve: **_Mayonnaise Anyone?_**

Date: November 8, 2004

**G**reg and Nick drove into work together the next day. Greg was anxious to see what happened while they were gone. Nick pulled the Tahoe into a spot designated for Graveyard CSIs.

The two entered the lab, and went their separate ways.

"Nick!" Catherine said as she ran over to him and hugged him.

"Catherine. I missed you." he smiled.

"And I missed you. Come on, Grissom is waiting for us."

The graveyard CSI team was sitting in the conference room, all waiting for Nick to arrive. Grissom stood at the head of the table, his glasses off, which was rare, and he looked different. Almost animated. Sara was sitting casually her legs crossed, her brown eyes fixed on Grissom. Warrick was reading a tabloid magazine, his eyes squinting to read the print.

"Hi everyone." Nick said as he took an empty seat between Sara and Warrick. Everyone smiled at him happily, and asked how the wedding was. Nick answered all the questions, then Grissom placed his glasses on, and read a piece of paper that he was handed moments before.

"Okay, here's the plan. Catherine, Warrick and I are taking a 419 at the Tangiers. Sara, you and Nick are to take Greg and head over to this address." Grissom interrupted as he handed the assignment sheet to Sara.

"Why Greg?" Sara asked, as she found it odd that a tech would be assisting in the field.

"Greg wants field experience." Grissom said simply.

"And who is going to man the DNA lab?" Sara asked Grissom in a way no one would dare speak to him.

"The Days tech will. Now let's get to work." he said, his eyes staring at Sara, as his lips parted to form a smile. Sara smiled back at him....

**G**reg, Sara and Nick all had sweaters on and their CSI vest on over them. It was a chilly day. Sara parked her Tahoe in front of the house where they had been reported to go to. The police were there, as were reporters.

"Why is the press here? They are never at any scene unless someone famous is involved." Nick said as he pulled open the hatch of the SUV.

"That is odd. Okay, Greg, you are in charge of taking photos. Nick and I will do evidence recovery." Sara dictated.

"Got it." Greg said, as he grabbed the camera and several extra roles of film. As Nick and Sara both pulled out their kits.

The three walked towards the large white house. It was illuminated by the setting sun.

"Excuse me, what can you tell us? Is it true that actress Angela Baker is dead?" a reporter asked Greg as she jabbed a microphone in Greg's face. Greg stared at her, and responded, " No Comment." and walked his way under the yellow tape.

"What do we have?" Nick asked O'Rielly, who was standing outside, a cigarette lit in his hand.

"As the reporter said. Angela Baker, the girl from that horror film last spring. The coroner is with her now." he said as he took a drag, off what Nick called Cancer Sticks.

"Okay, we got work to do." Sara said rudely as she led the way into the house.

The first thing Greg realized was that the air smelled like copper. His face twisted at the putrid odor. "When blood mixes with oxygen the Iron oxidizes and lets off a copper smell." Nick said to Greg.

Greg brought the camera to his eye and snapped a picture of a bloody palm print on the marble floor, and a few more prints making a path to where the body most likely would be.

David was hunched over a bloody corpse. The white female had blue eyes, which were bloodshot.

"What can you tell us?" Sara asked, as she looked at the body.

"That she died from asphyxia. The blood is from an excised wound on both thighs."

"How long has she been dead?" Nick asked.

"Rigor has already set in, as has livor. So I would say anywhere from ten to twelve hours."

"What's her body temp?" Greg asked as he snapped a picture of the body.

"Her temp was 86.2." he responded as he looked at his clipboard with his notes.

"So that would make her dead for eleven hours given she didn't have a fever or any illness."

"That's right, Greg. Well take your pictures of her while I go organize a transport." David said as he departed.

"What really confuses me is the excised wounds. They make no logical sense. If you strangled her, why take pieces of her skin?" Sara said as she pulled a white fiber off one of the excised wounds.

"Beats me. I'm going to take the kitchen and hallway." Nick said, as he pulled out a smaller camera from his vest and left Sara and Greg in the bedroom.

"Hey Greg what does that look like to you?" Sara asked him, as she pointed to a flashing red light in the corner of the room.

"An answering machine." He said confidently as he walked towards to the machine, and pressed PLAY MESSAGES.

A computerized voice was heard, Miss Baker you have one new Message, sent today at 6:14 a.m. Then a man's voice was heard. It sounded angry, harsh, evil.

_Angela, you pick up this god damn phone, or I will kill you. Pick up. Pick up now bitch, or I'll come in there and slice you up you whore. _

"I think she had an enemy." Greg said as he rewound the tape and ejected it from the machine.

Sara rolled her eyes. Greg looked at her as she went through the actress's personal things. He had a feeling that Sara didn't want him there.

**T**wenty minutes later, Nick entered the bedroom, defeat on his face. "I found nothing." he said as he placed his kit on the floor and peeled his latex gloves off.

"We didn't find much either." Greg started to explain, only to have Sara cut him off rudely.

"Not much, Greg? We found a threatening message on the answer machine." she said, placing her gloved hands on her jeans hips.

"Sara, a word please." Nick said as he motioned his pointer finger at her, as if to say follow me.

She walked over, and stared at him. "Cut him some slack. This is his first scene in a while."

She rolled her eyes. _Why was Sara being such a bitch? _He thought as she walked away.

**B**ack at the lab, Greg was laying out all the photos he had taken. His blue lab coat swinging while he circled the table, looking for any source of evidence, in particular blood splatter.

He riffled through a file, and pulled out a photo of the victim's bloody palm, and that's when he saw it. He walked over to the phone and dialed a number.

Nick and Sara walked in five minutes later. Their blue lab coats billowing behind them. "What is it?" Sara asked before Nick could get a word out.

"I noticed when I was comparing pictures, that the bloody palm print in the hallway is too big, possibly masculine, to be our DB's."

Both Nick and Sara's eyes flared up, and they walked around the table, and stared at the photos, and saw what Greg saw.

"Good Job. Now run it through AFIS." Nick said.

"How? Photos can't be used for that." he said.

"In Layout Room 4, there is a tape lift of the palm." Nick said, as Greg nodded and left the room.

"Sara, is everything alright?" Nick asked, as Sara studied the pictures before her.

"Yeah." she responded without meeting his eyes.

"Are you sure? Because you've been really cold towards Greg."

"I know, and I'm really sorry about that. It's just that I have a lot on my plate right now."

"I know what you mean." Nick replied. She smiled at him. The warmth that was once in her eyes had returned.

**I**t was ten of ten, and nothing had changed in their case. They had no luck with AFIS. The CSIs were notified that the post would be at ten thirty, so that gave them forty minutes to spare. Sara was no where to be found. Nick and Greg were in the Breakroom, drinking disgusting coffee, and just talking.

"You boys, should really lower your laughter. I can here you down the hallway." Catherine said with a smile as she sat herself next to Nick.

"What? I'm in a good mood." Greg smiled pleasantly for being almost ten at night.

"So, you two do anything special in Texas?" Catherine asked with a smile.

"We got into fights with my parents and siblings, and came out to my youngest sister, and butler."

"You people have a butler?" Catherine said amazed.

"Yeah. My mom and dad are too lazy to do anything on their own."

"I see, and how did you like it there, Greggo?"

"It was nice and sunny, and I got a kick ass tan, and those three nice hours of you know." Greg smirked at Nick, who blushed.

"Three hours! Eddie couldn't last twenty minutes. Lindsay was conceived after a fifteen minute quickie." Catherine said as she threw her hands up in the air. Greg and Nick both stifled a laugh.

The three continued talking about Nick and Greg's excursion. Then it was time for the autopsy.

This was Greg's first autopsy.

The two of them placed the blue surgical smocks over their lab coats, and headed into the Forensic Medicine Suite, to be met by Dr. Robbins.

"Ah, So this here is Sanders first autopsy." Al smiled, as he led the three CSIs, to a slab at the end of the suite.

"Greg, if you are to be sick, I suggest you use that sink over their which is for bodily fluids, if you use the sink that says Equipment only, I will be performing an autopsy on you." Al threatened, and everyone knew he was serious.

"Cause of death?" Sara asked, as Al pulled the sheet back.

"Positional asphyxia." he said. "As you can see the contusions on her shoulders, probably from the knees. There was also some petechial hemorrhaging." He said, as he pulled Angela's eye lids back.

"What can you tell us about the excised wounds?" Nick asked.

"They were made with a short sharp knife. Possibly a scalpel or parring knife. They were made however, postmortem."

"But that doesn't support the blood on her hands." Greg pointed out.

"Maybe the blood in the hall and on her hands was her assailants and not hers." Sara said smiling.

"Did you find anything when you did the PERK?" Nick asked as he looked at the lifeless corpse before him. He was struck with a twinge of sorrow.

"As a matter of fact, I recovered two substances from her vaginal canal. There was some semen and another fatty white fluid, which is at the moment an unknown."

"What?" Sara and Nick said in surprise. Greg looked confused.

"Do you have a slide?" Greg asked, as he walked around the slab to a microscope on the table, which Al pointed too.

Greg bent over and looked into the scope, his right hand twisting the dial back and forth to focus what he was seeing. "I know what this is."

"And what is it?" Nick asked curiously.

"I like it, you like it, Sara hates it." he said in a riddle which the truth was hidden.

"What do you like that I don't like?" Sara asked, "Besides women."

Nick and Greg laughed and stole a glance at each other.

"Okay I give up, what is it?" she asked, as she turned back around to face Greg.

"Mayonnaise." Greg said smiling.

The two CSIs, and the medical examiner stopped dead in their tracks and stared at Greg, "The scope doesn't lie." Greg said confidently.

"How did it get there?" Al asked.

"I don't know, but I think we should conduct a DNA test on the semen and run it through CODIS." Nick thought outloud.

"I'm on it." Greg said, collecting the slides and placing them in a yellow evidence envelope.

"This case is taking twists and turns all around the map here." Sara said to Nick, as the two discarded their surgical gowns, and threw them in a biohazard box.

_**There is Chapter 12. I hope you all enjoyed. Though I can't take credit for the idea of the murder victim. This idea comes from the fabulously talented crime writer, Patricia Cornwell. If you haven't read her Dr. Kay Scarpetta series I suggest you do. She is excellent. Please review!! Thank you!! Damien455**_

_**a PERK is a Physical Evidence Recovery Kit, which is just another name for a sexual assault processing kit. **_


	13. It's Not Worth It

"_Love Is Not A Crime"_

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Chapter Thirteen: **_It's Not Worth It_**

Date: November 9, 2004

**I**t was after six o'clock in the morning, and the three CSIs were planning on pulling a double. The evidence was going in odd directions, and their day was full of interrogation and evidence recovery.

CODIS ran a match to a Marc Williams, who had a record for Driving While Intoxicated.

The three CSIs, freshly changed out of their clothes from the previous day, met in the break room at six thirty to get coffee, and discuss their plans for the day.

"I say we start with a house call to Marc Williams, and get a DNA sample, and check his house for any slices of skin." Sara said smiling, as Greg inserted a jelly doughnut into his mouth, the red jelly oozing out and onto the table.

"Manners, Greg, Manners." Nick said, as he took a small bite out of a glazed doughnut.

"O'Rielly is on his way here with a search warrant." Sara said, as she looked at a text message on her phone.

Both of the men nodded, and continued eating their doughnuts.

Catherine, Warrick and Grissom walked in, they looked tired and beat.

"Hey." Warrick said as he scooped up a chocolate glazed doughnut and took a bite, and plopped down on the couch.

"Hey, you guys pulling a double as well?" Sara asked Grissom.

"No, we just finished a case involving autoerotic asphyxiation." he replied. Nick and Sara's eyes bugged out.

"It's been a while since I heard that phrase." Nick responded before he took a long sip of coffee.

Everyone snickered, and that was when the call came in. "He has the warrant, he's going to meet us there." Sara said, as she closed her cell phone and grabbed her Forensics jacket. Nick pulled his coat off the rack as well and headed out after Sara. Greg pulling up the rear.

**I**t was a twenty minute car ride to Marc Williams' house. O'Rielly and a uniform were there waiting for the criminalists.

They knocked on the door, and a scantily clad woman opened the door. She was wearing a blue brassiere and a pair of matching panties.

"Can I help you stud?" She purred at Nick, Greg was struck with jealousy at the female.

"Yeah, is Marc Williams home?" Sara asked. She looked at Sara, and scanned her over.

Marc, a tall man of about six foot three came to the door. He fitted Hitler's Aryan mold perfectly: white, blonde hair, and blue eyes. He had a tattoo of an anima sola on his left forearm, and he was in bad need of a shave, for his five o'clock shadow was rearing on midnight so to speak.

"What can I do for y'all this morning?" he asked, with an accompanying yawn.

"Do you know Angela Baker?" Sara asked.

He nodded a yes, "Why?"

"She was murdered last night, and we have found your semen in her vagina." Nick replied.

"Yeah I banged her, but I didn't kill the tramp." he said rudely.

"Tramp, huh?" Greg said, his brown eyes darting at the girl who answered the door.

"She was so loose she got air conditioning when she wore a skirt." he said in all seriousness.

"We have a warrant to search your house." Nick said, as he handed the folded warrant to the man.

The man looked offended and looked at the warrant, "Camille, put your clothes on and step outside, we need to vacate while they search." he said, never once taking his eyes off the warrant.

"Sir, we didn't tell you that you needed to vacate your home." Nick said politely.

"I'm a lawyer, I know the law." he said, as he moved out of the way for Camille to exit wearing a red cocktail dress. He followed after grabbing a white Oxford to put on his bare chest.

Nick nodded, and the three CSIs proceeded inside.

His house was miraculously clean. "I got the bedroom." Nick said, as he went upstairs.

"Figures, I'll take the living room, and kitchen." Greg said, as he took his kit and went into the kitchen.

Sara nodded, and went out the door, "Mr. Williams, a word please."

He nodded, and walked over to the brunette investigator. "Yes?"

"You say you had sex with Angela Baker, am I correct?"

"Yes. Camille is my girlfriend, and she doesn't know I've been having sex with Angela." he said in a whisper.

Sara stared at him, "Where did you and her have intercourse?"

"We started in my car, where we each came, and then we went inside to her bedroom, where we continued."

Sara nodded, "And maybe you can answer this, do you know why we found mayonnaise in her vaginal canal?"

Marc hung his head, "Yes, she had a mayo fetish, she liked it when I used it as a lubricant on my lips."

Sara quickly getting the picture shook her head to clear the image.

"And when did this occur?"

"At about seven in the morning before I headed into the office."

"Okay, and we found her at five thirty, which according to the coroner, she was dead at least eleven hours, making time of death around six thirty am. And you say you and her had sex at seven?"

He looked at her, "Yes."

"Interesting." Sara said, as she jotted something down.

"Hey Sara, I think we got a killer." Greg said, as he entered the porch, an evidence bag in his hand. "And why is that?" She asked him.

"I found a parring knife with traces of blood on it." he answered holding the knife up so Sara can see.

"O'Rielly, arrest him for the murder of Angela Baker." Sara said in a monotone voice, and walked away from the man. Marc's face twisted in anger, as he was dragged off to a squad car, and as his Miranda rights were read, he was screaming, "I didn't do it!" over and over again.

It was lunchtime, all the CSIs were in the breakroom, enjoying a meal together. Each with their sandwiches and sodas, they were laughing about stories and jokes. Sara and Grissom were flirting shamelessly with each other, which Catherine picked up on a little bit, but dismissed it as nothing.

Nick got up and threw out his sandwich container, "Hey Greg you got any gum?" he asked as he rummaged through his pockets for some, but found none.

"Yeah in my vest." he said, as he took a bite of his ham and cheese sandwich. Nick nodded his thanks, and headed over to the coat rack and picked up Greg's vest and rummaged through it. Nick's hand stopped mid-search, and his brown eyes looked up at Greg. Greg, who was not looking at Nick, could feel the glare, and he looked up at Nick, their eyes met. Everyone at the table, stopped what they were doing, and looked at the two oddly. They were staring at each other, as if having a conversation only with their eyes.

Nick pulled out a pack of _Newport 100s_, squeezed them tightly in his hand, and threw them at Greg, and stormed out of the breakroom. The crumbled pack of fifteen or so smokes landed in his potato salad, four set of eyes fixed on Greg, who looked hurt. Greg pushed his chair back, and got up, and walked really fast out of the breakroom to hunt down his angry boyfriend. "What is going on there?" Warrick asked his fellow CSIs once Greg was out of the room. "I don't know." Sara said, as Grissom nodded his agreement with her. Catherine remained still, and quiet. For she knew what was going on.

For the five months that they have been dating, Greg has had an occasional smoke. It wasn't that he was addicted, it was just that the demands of his job got to him, and he needed to unwind, and because now that he was a CSI, he was always on call, which meant drinking and getting drunk to solve problems was way out of the question. So he settled on smoking, an activity he had been part of since his sixteenth birthday, a near thirteen years earlier.

**G**reg walked around the whole entire Crime Lab, looking for Nick. He checked the usual places, the bathroom, the back steps, the DNA lab, the garage, and even other specialty labs. But Nick was no where to be found. He had checked the parking lot, and saw that Nick's Tahoe was still parked in the spot where they left it that morning. _Damnit Nick, where are you? _He thought frantically to himself.

Angry with himself, he went out the front doors, which overlooked a small courtyard with fountain that was across the street. Greg squinted in the high afternoon sun, and placed his hand over his eyes to shield them from the sun, and he spotted a familiar character at the park on a bench. Greg recognized it as Nick. Greg ran across the street, almost getting clipped by a Jeep, and walked over to Nick, who was staring off into space.

"Nicky?" Greg said calmly, as he sat down next to his silent boyfriend. Hoping for a response, he didn't receive one. Nick remained resilient and silent, untouched by Greg's voice.

"Nick, damnit, don't be mad at me." he said urgently. His voice quavering between sadness and anger.

Nick turned his head and looked Greg directly in the eyes, and just stared.

"I'm sorry, but it's hard for me. I've been doing it since I was sixteen, and it's not like I'm smoking a pack a day, but it is usually just one after work, when the days events hit me." he explained to Nick, who was listening, although it didn't look as if he was.

"Greg, people die from smoking. Thousands die each year."

"Nick, I know that. But it is my decision, and I know you love me and care for me, and wouldn't want anything to happen to me, but I'm a big boy and I know what I'm doing." Greg said. Nick just looked at him, he could see Greg's pain, and he knew that Greg was sorry.

"Greg, you have to try and quit. It's not worth compromising your life." Nick said, as he placed his masculine, rough hand into Greg's more slender soft hand.

"I'll try, but I'm not guaranteeing anything." he said as he clasped Nick's hand tightly in his hand.

Nick nodded, and reached across and kissed Greg lightly on the lips.

"I love you." Greg moaned as he pulled Nick into a hug. "And I you." Nick replied as he tightened the hug.

To the Reader:

I hope everyone enjoyed the chapter. Next chapter will be up soon!

From: Damien455


	14. I Promise You

"Love Is Not A Crime"

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Chapter Fourteen: **_I Promise You_**

Date: November 9, 2004

Greg and Nick re-entered the Crime Lab, after their little park talk. They knew that what happened was going to cause red flags to go up, especially with the graveyard shift. They had only been gone about fifteen minutes, so everyone had to still be in the lunchroom. They were right. Nick's stomach plummeted.

"Hey you two, what was that little show about?" Warrick asked as he popped a Swedish Fish into his mouth.

"Nothing." Nick dismissed it, as took his seat in-between Sara and Catherine.

"It didn't look like nothing." Sara said as she too popped a Swedish Fish.

"What? He got angry, we all get angry." Greg said as he took another bite of his sandwich.

"Yeah, but over cigarettes?" Warrick countered.

"It's just a personal thing between friends, it's no big deal." Nick said as he claimed his seat again, and finally got around to getting the gum he wanted. Catherine looked at the two gay men and frowned. Nick knew that frown, the frown of disappointment. He shook it off, it wasn't up to her when they were going to come out.

"Okay team let's get back to work." Grissom said, as if nothing had happened. Warrick and Catherine followed him, while Sara, Greg, and Nick went in the opposite direction towards the layout room.

Once in the layout room, Sara went over the case details aloud.

"Okay, so our perp, he killed her through positional asphyxia. Victim had sex with Marc Williams, and he supposedly left at seven thirty, and TOD is about six thirty, which places him at the scene, and we found the parring knife with blood, but no skin." she said, laying photos on the table.

"Can't forget the mayo." Greg said with a bounce in his step.

"Don't do that again." Nick said playfully.

"Sorry." Greg whispered, as he looked at the photos.

"This case is pretty much over, where else can we go? He has a conflicting statement, he can't provide an alibi because his girlfriend is in the dark about his extra-curricular sexual activities. We have a murder weapon, the DNA matches, the only thing we don't have is motive and the missing skin." Greg said.

"What your saying is true, but we need that skin, the defense will eat us alive." Sara said.

"And motive isn't our job, it's the cops job. Our job is to only state how the victim was murdered and prove it with forensic evidence." Nick said frustrated. He hated the case which tried their nerves.

"What do we do then?" Greg said, he was confused this was his first case as a serious CSI and he didn't want to mess it up.

"Did we lift prints from the knife? And did the palm print match the suspect?" Sara asked.

"No usable prints from the knife, and I didn't check the palm." Greg said.

"Neither did I." Nick said.

"What idiots we are, we need to run it through AFIS and compare it to the suspect." Sara said grabbing the print and heading towards the fingerprint ID lab.

Once she was outside, Nick shut the door, and turned the lights out.

"What are you doing?" Greg smiled at Nick, who was grinning.

Nick walked over to Greg and kissed him lightly on the lips. Greg could taste the Winterfresh gum, Nick was chewing. He kissed Nick back. The two began making out in a hurried frenzy. Greg was fueled by the hunger he felt towards Nick, the love and above all the lust. The lust to have Nick wherever he wants. Greg slid Nick's lab coat off, and threw it on the table, the pictures falling to the ground, as Greg sat on the layout table, Nick hungrily kissing the younger man. The two totally forgot that were at work. Nick's hands crept up his Greg's tight tee-shirt. Greg ran his hands through Nick's buzzed cut hair, the sensation of the short hair fueled Greg's passion. Nick ran his fingers through Greg's neatly gelled highlighted locks.

"We have to stop, someone might come in." Greg breathed as Nick kissed his neck.

"I don't know if I can." Nick breathed between kisses.

"We continue this tonight." Greg said, as he adjusted his shirt, and Nick got off him.

"Your promise?" Nick said with puppy eyes.

"I promise." Greg smiled, as he rubbed Nick's head.

Nick pulled his lab coat on, and turned the light on just in time for Sara to come back in.

"Hey." she said as she looked at the two men. Something was different.

"Hi, any luck?" Greg asked , his breathing was furious, ragged, and as if he were out of breath.

"Yeah, print matches the suspect." she said, "Case is closed really. I'm going to go with O'Rielly to inform Mr. Williams. Greg, fix you hair, it's all messed up." she turned around with a smile.

At four-thirty, Greg and Nick clocked out, and headed towards Nick's car. The blue Tahoe glimmering in the sun. Nick clicked the alarm, and got in. He placed the key in the ignition and the car started. And they were off.

Halfway home to Nick's apartment, Greg asked Nick a question.

"Nick, you love me right?" he asked.

Nick looked at him, "Don't be stupid, I love you more than anything."

"Move in with me." Greg said in one breath.

"You want me to move in with you at your place?" Nick asked.

"Yeah, my place is bigger, and we've been dating for a while, I think it's time we take it to that level." Greg said, looking out the window at a married couple holding hands, and walking their child.

"Baby, if that's what you want, then fine, I'm moving in." Nick smiled, as he eased on the brakes at the upcoming red light. He reached over to the passenger seat and kissed Greg lightly on the lips.

"I love you." Greg smiled, Nick smiled back, "I love you the mostest."

"Bitch backdown." Greg said turning the radio on.

_In the morning,  
When I wake dear,  
Your memory comforts me.  
_

_In the darkness,  
When I'm frightened,  
I can see you in my dreams. _

Nick pulled the car over to the side of the road, and turned the song up, and kissed Greg. Greg kissed back.

_Though I'm far dear, Though we're parted,  
I know that time can change nothing._

So if you feel afraid,  
And if your hope is gone,   
Just remember all these things I promise you

"Promise me, we'll be together forever." Greg whispered in-between a kiss.

_I will move heaven.  
I will move hell and earth to be where you are.   
I will move heaven._

And it may take one life,  
And it may take forever,  
But I promise you. 

"I think the song answered for me." Nick flashed his Texan smile, the smile Greg fell in love with almost six years before. Greg resumed the kiss.

_As I sail through,  
Stormy seas, dear,  
You come to still my heart._

As I walk through,  
The path of danger,  
You lead me through the dark.

Though I'm far dear,  
And though we're parted,  
I know that time can change nothing.

The two were holding hands, as they kissed. It wasn't their lustful hungry kisses they shared that day at work, but tender loving one. Theses kisses were from the heart, and not their sex drive. They've shared these kisses before, but this one felt different to the two men. 

_So if you fell alone,  
And if your faith is gone,  
Just remember all these things I promised you_

"I need you forever." Greg whispered.

_I will move heaven.  
I will move hell and earth to be where you are.  
I will move heaven.  
I will move hell and earth to be where you are.  
I will move heaven._

And it may take this life,  
It may take forever,  
But I promise you.  
I promise you.

"I promise you, we will always be together, no matter what." Nick whispered in Greg's ear.

Greg smiled, "Let's go to your place and pack, because you're coming home to my house, or should I say,_ our_ house."

"To our house." Nick said, as he kissed Greg's cheek, "Forever."

**I hope everyone liked. Yes it was very fluffy, and I know I didn't get into to much detail with the case they were working on because the case isn't that important to the eventual storyline. When the trial happens, more about the case will be revealed. The song is called **

"**I Promise You" by Judith Owen. Review!!!  
**


	15. New Lives

"Love Is Not A Crime"

Disclaimer: See chapter one

Chapter Fifteen:**_ New Lives_**

Date: Saturday, November 11, 2004

Nick and Greg loaded the last box into Nick's Tahoe. Nick turned around and looked at his apartment, which he would stop paying rent on, and have the mail deferred to Greg's address. He had lived there for the seven years he had been in Las Vegas. So much has happened in that apartment, his stalker broke in, murdered someone, and drew Nick's gone on Nick, all in that one living room. The bedroom held many secrets of Nick's personal life, the countless women he had in their, and the first time he and Greg had ever had sex was in that room. Tears sprang to his eyes.

"It's going to be okay." Greg said as he rubbed the older, slightly shorter man's arm.

"I know it is, I'm just thinking of everything that happened here, and everything that will happen with you." he smiled. Greg smiled. They both smiled, and climbed in the packed Tahoe and headed in the direction of the Lab, where Greg lived about three miles from.

"Okay, since this will be your first official night, all moved in, what about dinner at a nice restaurant then a movie." Greg said smiling.

"How about I say your on, but first I want a shower, I'm all sweaty."

"Is that an invitation?" Greg smirked.

'You better believe it, babe." Nick said in a thick Texas drawl.

Across town, Sara sat patiently in the hospital waiting room. She had already given her blood, and urinated in the cup, and was patiently awaiting the results. Her brown eyes lingered on an twenty-something year old man, who was holding his girlfriend's, or whoever, hand, as they waited the same thing Sara did. A pregnancy test.

"Miss Sidle. Doctor Huntington will see you now." the nurse said, as Sara got up, her crime lab badge, and gun flashed in the sun, and people's faces looked at her, as if she was going to shoot up the place. She had just got off shift, and hadn't had time to remove her weapon.

Sara placed her coat on the exam table, and took a seat on its edge, as the doctor came in. The doctor looked to be about thirty-seven, and had blue eyes and brown hair.

"Miss Sidle, the results from your pregnancy test read as follows, you are pregnant Miss Sidle."

Sara's eyes widened, as fear ripped through her body. Her mind was racing with thoughts about what to do, how to tell Grissom. She smiled.

"How far along am I?" she asked happily.

"About a month and a half. I was wondering if I can do an exam?"

"Sure." She smiled, she was going to be a mother, and Grissom was to be the father.

Nick had just pulled his sweater on when he heard Greg's house phone ringing. He could hear Greg moving around in the shower. Nick walked over the handset next to Greg's side of the bed, the side closest to the door, for the side next to the window was Nicks. He grabbed the off-white phone, clicked 'Talk' and answered.

"Hello?" Nick said into the receiver.

"Nick?" the voice said back.

"Yes?" Nick replied.

"It's Sara. I was trying to reach Greg, I must have dialed your number instead." she apologized.

"No, it's okay. I'm at Greg's, he's just in the shower."

"Oh." she said weirdly, "Uhm, since I can kill two birds with one stone. I'm talking the team out to dinner tonight at Carlotta's Restaurant on Lakewood and Harris. Dress is semi-  
formal, and the reservation is at seven."

Nick thought about it for a moment, this was going to ruin the plans he had made with Greg, "Okay, we will be there." They said their goodbyes, and hung up. Greg came walking in the bedroom, a towel wrapped around his hips, and he was drying his hair with the other.

"Who was on the phone?" he asked, as he riffled through one of his drawers.

"Sara. She wants us to meet her for dinner at seven, apparently she has something to tell us because she would never spend hundreds to take us to dinner."

"Hundreds? Where are we going? Carlotta's?" Greg laughed.

"As a matter of fact we are." Nick said, as he pulled his sweater off, and threw it on their bed. Carlotta's was a high end restaurant and very expensive.

"Does that mean I have to wear a tie?" Greg moaned miserably.

"Yes it does honey." Nick smiled, as he pulled out an oxford shirt from his side of the closet.

"Can I borrow one, because I don't own one." Greg said, as he pulled a pair of pants off a hanger.

"Sure, and how about tomorrow for our dinner?" Nick said, as he threw a lime green tie at Greg, which would match his black oxford.

"Why do you have a lime green tie? That is so not you."

"My mother." he said, as he looked at the clock.

"Damn, it's five thirty already? How long were we in the shower?"

"A while I guess, then remember we had to take separate showers, it was a day of showers." Greg smiled idiotically as he sat on the edge of the bed. Nick joined him.

"What are we going to tell people about you living here, because I don't think we – as a couple – is ready to deal with coming out." Greg said. Nick felt hurt, and his eyes showed it.

"Sweetheart, what I meant was I don't think we are ready to be out." he immediately corrected himself.

"Greg, I don't care if we are or aren't. I love you, and Catherine is disappointed that the other day, we totally brushed the smoking thing off as nothing, when it was something."

"What do you mean something?" Greg said defensively.

"What I mean is it is something that is personal between you and I. A relationship thing, you know? Something people don't understand but you or I."

"So you think no one understands my smoking?"

"No", Nick said, "I love you, and you know that, but they don't know that. They don't know you and I are in love, and you know how relationships have those inside things, not no one knows about but us?"

"Maybe that's the thing. I want people at work to know I'm madly in love with Nicholas Stokes." Greg said, as he stood up and began tying his tie.

"But I thought you just said that you didn't think we were ready." Nick said confused.

"What I meant was I don't think you're ready."

"Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. We aren't going to find out if we stay hidden." Nick said.

"Nick, I've been dealing with being gay since I was a teenager, and I stamped it out until I came to terms with it at twenty-two. I spent five years hiding from myself, then the next eight hiding from everyone else, except my family."

"Greg, damn it, if you want to go public then I'm all for it, because I all want in this life is to be happy, happy with you and no one else." Nick said as he stood up and faced Greg.

"Nick, then we tell people we are live in lovers?"

"That's what we do." Nick said, as he reached forward and kissed Greg passionately on the lips.

"You can always mend a situation with your kisses can't you?" Greg smiled, as they broke apart.

"Always."

Nick pulled his Tahoe into Carlotta's parking lot at six forty-five. Nick pulled his mirror down, and checked his hair, as Greg did the same.

"You sure about this?" Greg asked Nick for the fifth time since leaving the house.

'Yes, but remember if what Sara has to tell us is big, we hold off for a few days." Nick reminded.

"Of course." Greg nodded, and opened the door, and got out.

Catherine just pulled in, she was wearing her suit from work, for she had to work a shift from eleven to eleven.

"Hey, sexy lady." Greg said to Catherine with a laugh.

"Hey to you to. You two know what this is about?" Catherine asked.

"Not a clue, but I hope Sara knows this place is expensive." Nick laughed.

"More than a CSI could afford that's for sure."

The three walked into the restaurant, and went up to the hostess, who looked about twenty-six, with blonde hair and blue eyes.

"Can I help you?" she asked Nick, without looking at him.

"Yes, my friend told us to meet her here. I believe the reservation should be under Sidle."

"And that's S-I-D-D-L-E?" she asked.

"Only one D."

She scanned the list, "Okay, I have a Brown, and Grissom, here already, and that would make you Stokes, Sanders, and Willows?"

"Yes ma'am." Nick said.

"I knew I recognized you, don't you remember me? Sally Parks, we went on a date a year ago, and you never called after that night." she said.

Nick's eyes bugged out, "Oh, Sally, right I remember now, I didn't recognize you." Greg looked at Nick.

"How have you been?" she asked, as a waitress came over to escort the three to their table.

"Gay." Nick said, as he followed the waitress and Greg and Catherine followed.

"You slept with her?" Greg whispered in Nick's ear.

"Yeah, a one night stand." he said ashamed and Greg nodded his head. Greg was very okay with the fact that Nick had been with women, so had Greg, but to the capacity Nick had been.

The three found Sara and Grissom laughing and smiling, which was unusual for Grissom, and Warrick was drinking a glass of merlot. "Hey everyone." Sara smiled.

"Hey." Nick said, as he took a seat in between Catherine and Greg. Greg placed his left hand on Nick's right knee, and that action made Nick feel safe, though he didn't really feel the need to be safe amongst his friends.

"The reason, we are here today is because I have some news to tell you." Sara said happily, as she looked at Grissom.

"I'm pregnant." she said in one breath, and everyone looked at her, shocked.

"Congratulations." Greg smiled at her.

'Wait, who's the father?" Warrick asked.

"I am." it was Grissom who spoke.

"Oh my god." Catherine said, as she dug in her purse for her wallet, as Warrick and Nick all pulled their wallets out of their back pockets. Nick, Warrick, and Catherine each handed over ten dollars to Greg.

"What was that about?" Grissom asked.

"Greg said that you two would get together, we didn't believe him, so we made a bet." Warrick explained.

"Nice." Sara said, she was so happy, and it made everyone happy.

"Sara?" Grissom said amongst the chatter.

"Yes?" she smiled at him.

"Will you marry me?" he asked, as he pulled out a diamond ring.

"Oh my god." she said with tears in her eyes, "Of course I will!" she reached over and kissed him on the lips, and accepted the ring.

"Maybe not tonight." Greg whispered in Nick's ear, which caused him to laugh, "I thought so." Nick responded.

**I hope everyone enjoyed. Thank you for all the reviews, they have all been very heartfelt, and I appreciate it! Review again!!! Thanks...**


	16. Sunday Morning

"Love Is Not A Crime"

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Chapter Sixteen: **_Sunday Morning _**

Date: Sunday, November 12, 2004

Nick awoke to find the bed empty. Greg's side of the bed was made up nicely, and he was confused. His eyes glanced at the clock, and read 8:45. Greg was never up before ten on a Sunday, workless morning. He climbed out of bed, and pulled on his hoodie. The weather baffled him. He would go to bed hot, and wake up freezing. He walked across Greg's large room, and went into the hallway. Greg's apartment was fairly large. A bathroom, two bedrooms, a living room, kitchen, dining room, and terrace.

He turned the corner into the kitchen to see Greg bustling over the stove. The smell of pancakes and bacon accentuated the room. Greg was wearing shorts and a hoodie, moving around the kitchen like a master chef. Led Zeppelin was playing on the counter top radio as he chopped away at something on the cutting board.

"Hi babe." Nick smiled, as he went up to the younger man.

"How long have you been standing there?" Greg asked embarrassed, his cheeks blushing.

"Not long, and since when did you get up this early and cook?"

"Since, this really hot man moved in, and I was thinking about bringing him breakfast. I think he lives in 3B, but I'm not sure." Greg joked.

"Funny man." Nick laughed in a Texan drawl.

A cell phone on the kitchen counter starting vibrating, Nick reached for it and read the ID.

_Sara Sidle_

Nick answered, "Hey?" he said into the receivers of his cell phone as Greg continued to dance around the kitchen like a freak.

"Okay, I'll be there in half an hour." Nick said as he snapped the phone shut.

"What was that?" Greg asked as he poured batter on the griddle.

"Sara, we have a dead body at Hutches and Old View." Nick said disappointed as disappointment filled Greg's brown eyes.

"Well, you better get ready." Greg said, as he started to clean everything up.

"G, stop. I'll eat with you before I go. I owe that to you." Nick smiled as he kissed his lover and headed towards the shower, while Greg started to cook again.

Nick emerged from his bedroom fifteen minutes later wearing jeans, and his track jacket. He could smell the food that Greg prepared for him. He felt bad that he had to work today, but he knew Greg understood.

"Here you go sweetie." Greg smiled as he placed a plate of flapjacks in front of the older man. "Thanks." he smiled as he took a large bite and smiled happily at the buttery sweet taste.

"I don't know when I am going to be home, so if I get home late, I'll just come in quietly and slip in bed." Nick said as he shoveled fork after fork of pancakes into his mouth.

"Whoa, slow down there bucko, I don't want you getting sick on the job." Greg laughed as he took a bite off Nick's plate.

"Uhm, I think your plate is plenty filled, so back off mine." Nick threatened playfully.

"Funny. You should go because you said you be there ten minutes ago." Greg smiled, as Nick's eyes bugged out.

"Shit." he said under his breath as he stood up and grabbed his keys, phone, and a pack of gum.

"Hey that was my gum!" Greg called out to him.

"Sorry, I love you!" Nick screamed from outside and shut the door.

"I love you too." Greg said to the shut door, "More than you know."

Nick pulled his Tahoe into an empty spot at the edge of the crime scene. He pulled his sunglasses out, and placed them over his eyes. He could see Sara taking pictures, and a strange sight. Eckley standing on the sidelines.

"Hey Sara!" Nick called out to his brunette partner.

"Hey Nicky. Nice of you to join us." Conrad stepped in. Nick could feel anger boiling in his veins, as memories of that Conrad has done to Greg surfaced in Nick's memory.

"And what are you doing here?" Nick asked scornfully.

"Just observing. It's what I do now." he retorted.

"What you do? I thought you just manage the day shift, and get credit for cases you don't even participate in."

"Watch it Stokes. I am the new Head Administrator for the lab. Grissom turned the position down."

"You're the new Admin!" Nick said in shock at the revelation that Eckley could now fire him if he pleased.

"You better believe it. Now, I have to go move my office, and call in some shift workers, who are lacking in their hours for the quarter."

"Nice of you to drop by, and gloat." Nick said to Conrad's retreating back.

"Bastard." Sara whispered to Nick, as he pulled on a pair of gloves, and looked at the body.

"You got that right. I'm sorry I'm late."

"No problem, where were you anyways? I heard Led Zeppelin in the background, and you listening to Led just didn't make sense." Sara said absent mindedly.

"Uhm, I was at Greg's place this morning." Nic said in one breathe. There he had done it, he was a step closer to telling the truth.

"You've been over there a lot lately." She snapped a picture.

"Yeah, I know. Greg and I are really close." he said, as he marked a piece of debris with a yellow number.

"People are talking Nick." she snapped another picture.

"About?" he played dumb.

"You and Greg. They say you two are like dating." she said with confidence and hesitation. She didn't want to hurt Nick.

"Well thanks for telling me, oh and we are." Nick said as he headed back to his car to get his case leaving Sara in shock.

_I can't believe I just did that. Oh my God, Greg is going to be mad because we wanted to do it together. But I just slipped out. Oh God, Oh God, what am I going to do!_ Nick thought to himself as he opened the hatchback of his Tahoe, and saw Sara heading his way.

"David wants to brief us on the victim." Sara said to Nick, as he pulled his kit out.

"Uhm, Sara." Nick spoked to her as she started to walk away.

She turned around and looked in his eyes. "About what I told you." he started only to be interrupted by her.

"Secret safe with me." she smiled, "Now we have work to do."

Nick felt relieved that someone finally knew their secret other than Catherine. Now only Warrick, Grissom, and Brass are left.

Greg was bustling around the apartment cleaning. Nick had unpacked everything he needed, but left all the boxes lying around. Normally he would have been pissed, but it was Nick. How can one be mad at Nick?

He was folding laundry, when he heard his house phone ring. He shrugged, and placed the folded sweater on the bedspread. He picked up the black handset and looked at the caller ID. _The lab, why would they call?_ He thought to himself as he answered.

"Hello?" Greg said into the receiver.

"Sanders? This is Conrad Eckley. I was just reviewing your time sheets for the quarter and you are two shifts behind."

"Eckley? What are you doing looking in my time sheet file. You aren't me supervisor." Greg said defensively into the phone.

"I am the new Lab Administrator. You must make up the shifts before the new quarter starts."

"The new Quarter starts in two days, and I already have shifts tomorrow and the day after." he said angrily into the phone.

"Well, you can work a shift today, and a double on Monday. I'll see you here in a half hour." Conrad spoke into the phone and hung up.

Greg was angry. There was no way he was two shifts behind. He threw the phone across the room in anger. His brown eyes glanced at the clock, he had just enough time to take a quick shower and make it in to be the CSI's slave.

He pulled his car into the lab's lot, and climbed out. He placed his sunglasses a top his head, as he held onto a cup of coffee from the house.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a cadet and his girlfriend holding hands and being all love-like. _I wish that Nick and I could be like that_. He thought to himself.

"Good morning Grissom." Greg said as he entered his DNA lab to see Grissom with a bag of evidence.

"I thought you were off this morning." Grissom said to the tech.

"I was until Eckley called." Greg said with an attitude as he took a sip of his coffee.

"That's too bad. Routine blood profile." Grissom said to the tech as he handed Greg five swabs from Grissom.

"I'm guessing it will be about an hour." Greg said as he caught a glimpse of his inbox folder, "Or three."

"Take your time. We work around you." Grissom said to the younger man, as he exited the lab.

"I hate my job sometimes." Greg muttered to himself as he grabbed the seven evidence bags from his inbox and started sorting them into shifts.

"How long?" Sara asked Nick as she drove along the strip to head over to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the post of their victim.

"Almost six months." he said, as he looked out the passenger side window.

"Really? I never really pegged you as being a homosexual." she said cautiously as if not to offend Nick.

"Neither did I. It's complicated but let's just say that Greg has helped me come to terms with some stuff." Nick said to his brunette partner. For years ever since he was...molested, he had thought there was something wrong with him. For almost twenty-five years, he thought it was just him dealing with the aftermath of a situation he never quite understood. Shame. He felt shame as well as disgust, and abandonment. He never truly trusted anyone growing up in Texas. His friends, multiple girlfriends, and even him family..there was never the trust he craved. The trust he wanted, the trust he needed. In the thirty minutes it took his babysitter to do those things to him, he lost a lifetime of trust. He sometimes wondered late at night, if he trusted Greg as much as he thought he did, or if he even trusted himself. Shame. Shame. Shame. A word that rang through his mind for years since the incident. The word that when he heard in school, he would cringe and think of that night. Shame was what he felt. Even at nine, he knew what went on between him and Jane was wrong. The night Nick told Greg, they had a long conversation in bed. Greg was supportive, and told Nick that being raped was tough. Rape. The four letter word that comes with so much pain. Was that what happened to Nick? Was he raped? On his job he always comes across rape victims, but did he fit the profile? He knows that men are raped, but he was molested. Is it the same thing, he wonders. He guesses it is. Damn her, he tells himself late at night, she ruined my childhood and my life. Throughout high school, Nick always had the girl(s). The first girl he had slept with was when he was fifteen and it was on the football field at half past midnight. The feelings of sex then was nothing compared to what he felt six years earlier. He felt relaxed and he enjoyed it, however he knew that something was wrong. Thirty-four women later, he realized he felt something for a man. At first it was strange and confusing, but over all he learned to deal. When him and Greg shared their first kiss, he knew who he was. He was gay.

"Nick? Nick? NICK!" Sara said loudly as she put the Tahoe in park.

"What?" he said shockingly.

"We are here, and are you okay? You've been quiet and staring out the window for ten minutes."

"Oh, I'm sorry. I was just thinking." he shook his head to clear his mind and opened to door to get out. Sara did the same.

"Good Morning." Sara said to the secretary as she approached the front desk. The secretary, an elderly woman who wore her hair in a tight bun, peered up at Sara.

"And you are?"

"Sara Sidle. This is Nick Stokes, we are with the Crime Lab. We're here for the post on a Jane Doe." Sara said to the secretary. Sara had been to this building millions of times since coming to Las Vegas five years earlier, and still the secretary didn't know who she was.

"Go down to suite 7B. Dr. Holt." the secretary said to Sara and picked up the phone that had been ringing.

"Dr. Holt?" Nick asked confused to Sara, and she had no response to give. The two investigators walked down the halls of the morgue, looking for 7B. Nick was the one who found it. Nick opened the door, and saw a young man suturing a Y incision on a patient, who wasn't theirs.

"Dr. Holt?" Nick asked startling the young doctor.

"Yes, and you are?" the doctor asked as he put down his suturing tools, and removed his protection goggles, and mask.

"I'm Nick Stokes, and this is Sara Sidle. We are with the Crime Lab."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Doctor Alexander Holt, I would shake your hands, if mine weren't covered in this man's blood." Sara laughed. Finally, a medical examiner with a sense of humor.

"And which patient is yours?" he asked as he removed his gown and gloves.

"A Jane Doe." Nick responded almost immediately.

"I see. Well I haven't had time to post her yet, but if you would like I can start now, and you can watch?" he suggested.

"That would be great. We got time." Sara said.

"On that self are gowns, masks, goggles, and gloves. If you wouldn't mind grabbing some and we'll get started." Nick and Sara nodded at his instruction and did as they were told.

The medical examiner donned his gear again, and walked over to the freshly cleaned dead body at the dissection table on the other end of the suite.

"Sara, is it?" Dr. Holt asked.

"Yes." she smiled.

"Would you mind scribing for me? What that means is just write what I tell you."

"I would be honored." she smiled as she took his clipboard full of diagrams and paperwork.

"Let's get started." Alex said perkily, as he drew the scalpel along the victim's skin. From clavicle to clavicle, then right down the middle making a small detour around the navel and ending at the pubis. He then grabbed a tool that almost looked like a spatula and used it to reflect the skin, muscle, and subcutaneous fat back so the chest cavity was visible.

"You mind me asking a question? I like talking when I work." Alex said as he grabbed red rib shears off the cart. The shears resembled large pruning shears.

"Sure." Nick said as he watched Alex use the shears to break the ribs and remove the breastplate.

"Where are you two from?"

"Texas." Nick said.

"San Francisco." Sara said as she watched Alex use his scalpel to remove a fleshy material from the area surrounding the heart.

"That's nice. I'm originally from Richmond, Virginia. Got transferred here for my residency after med school, then I started working here, not to long ago."

"Why did you become a medical examiner?" Nick asked as Alex proceeded to use a small knife to remove the heart from the cavity.

"My dad murdered my mom when I was ten, and when my dad was incarcerated, I was sent to live with my mom's brother, who was a forensic pathologist as well."

"Forensic pathologist?" Nick asked confused.

"The fancy name for medical examiner." Alex laughed as he strolled over to a counter that had a scale, and he placed the heart in the scale.

"Five-hundred grams. Muscle fleshy, WNL." he said, and Sara wrote.

"WNL?" she asked.

"Short hand for within normal limits."

Nick heard his beeper go off, as Dr. Holt began to remove the stomach.

"Sara, it's a 911 page from Greg. I'm just going to step outside for a moment." Nick said as he looked at his partner and the doctor, and went out the suite door.

Nick was in the hallway. He saw Catherine enter the next suite with Dr. Robbins, and a morgue supervisor cart a gurney into cold storage, the fridge for all John/Jane Does.

"Hey, Greggo. What's up? I got your page."

"Nothing. I'm just in a really bad mood and needed to talk to you."

"What about?" Nick asked as he saw through the window in the door, Dr. Holt was pouring the stomach contents into a beaker. He felt his breakfast coming up.

"I'm at the lab working. I got a double tomorrow and I have to work every day this week. My next day off is next Tuesday."

"Aw babe, I'm sorry. I got to go, I'm in the middle of an autopsy. I'll be at the lab within the hour."

"Alright. I love you."

"And I love you." Nick smiled as he closed his phone and re-entered the suite.

There is chapter 16! I am so sorry for the excruciatingly long delay in this story! I apologize fully. Updates should be more frequent! Please Review! Thank you for those who are loyal to this story! I appreciate it! Damien455


	17. One Day

"Love Is Not A Crime"

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Chapter Seventeen: **_One Day_**

Date: Sunday, November 12, 2004

Nick and Sara got back into her Tahoe, an hour after Nick's call with Greg. Nick situated himself in the passenger seat, as Sara climbed in the driver's seat and turned the ignition on.

"Sara?" Nick asked as she put the car in reverse and expertly moved the vehicle with on hand steering.

"Yes?" she asked as she once again switched gears and pulled out of the ME's office parking lot.

"How long have you and Grissom been an item?" Nick asked about her relationship.

"About a year." She said slamming on the brakes as the light at the intersection turned red.

"Wow, and you've been able to hide it this long?" Nick was impressed.

"Well, Gil has that whole emotional robot thing, but once you get to know him really well, you see the real him." She smiled her gap-tooth smile.

'So, do we know, boy or girl?" Nick smiled.

"Too early to tell. Hopefully a boy, Gil would love a son."

'Yeah now that's to weird." Nick said uneasy.

"What? Gil a father?" she asked, almost offended.

"No, hearing you call him Gil. That is so weird." Nick laughed.

'Shut up, Mr. _Sanders." _She joked.

Nick just glared at her.

"How come you didn't tell us about you and Greg sooner? I mean you have been going out for a long time, right?"

"Six months on the twentieth. I don't know. It was new for both of us, this relationship. We went from being friends to being lovers and now we live together. It is kind of overwhelming sometimes, but I know in my heart of hearts, that I love him."

Sara smiled. "How did you two get together if I might ask?"

Nick stared out the window as he remembered that day: May 20, 2004.

_He remembers showing up at half past nine. He just wrapped up a case at the lab, and needed to unwind. _

_The music was playing rather loudly. There were liquor bottles on the kitchen table and counter. Drained empty. No vodka, gin or Bacardi was to spare. There was a keg with red party cups in a stack next to it. It was high school all over again. _

_Co-workers at the lab were having a great time. They were at Dave Hodges' home in Henderson. Sara was drinking a cocktail and flirting shamelessly with Grissom, who sipped on a cranberry and vodka. It was weird for them to see him drink. Warrick was relaxing on the couch, a beer in hand, and two black women, friends of Hodges, all over him. On was cuddling next to him, and the other sitting on his lap. He was all smiles. Catherine was on her cell phone screaming at her mother, who was watching Lindsey; her martini in hand as she tried to block out the hip-hop that was playing. _

_Then there he was. Gregory Sanders. The blonde lab tech was in animated conversation with Bobby Dawson. Bobby was laughing so hard, it looked like he would spit beer from his nose. Then there it was, Bobby placed a hand on Greg's shoulder. A flare of jealousy and anger rose within him, but why those feelings? He knew why. He had known for a very long time. He tried to hide it for a very long time. He would succeed, or so he told himself. _

_He went to the keg and poured himself a beer. He sipped the foam off the top, then began to gulp the amber liquid. Purging himself of "the feelings". _

"_Greg." He spoke in a slight drunken stupor. The blonde looked at him with a smile. _

"_What's up Nicky?" there it was, he called him 'Nicky'. _

"_Can we talk?" he asked as he stumbled a bit. Greg nodded and led the way to the backyard. _

_Greg led him to a tree house Hodges has for his niece and nephew. He climbed first with Greg behind to him to make sure he didn't fall. _

"_So what is up?" Greg asked as they situated themselves in the small house. _

"_I don't know. I'm just stressed, and I need someone to talk to. You know?" he spoke gently. _

"_Yeah, totally. Is everything alright?" Greg asked. _

"_I don't know. Work is getting increasingly harder, and it drives me crazy. Not to mention some personal stuff." He was trying so hard not to cry. He was scared. Fearful, what about rejection? What about his pride _

"_Like what? Family? Girlfriends? You can tell me." Whatever you say won't leave this room." _

"_I think I'm falling for someone, hard." He said. _

"_Oh, who?" Greg pressed on, interested. _

"_Whatever, I say stays here right?" he needed insurance as well as reassurance. _

"_Of course." _

"_I think I have these feelings for a – a – a guy." There, he did it. He said it. It was weird out loud. He said all the time in his head, but it came out so weird out loud. _

"_So you think you're gay?" Greg asked. _

"_I don't know. I've never liked a guy before, but this guy is just perfect and everything I like. You know, when you see someone and it's like damn, that's who is meant for you." _

"_Yeah I know that feeling." Greg looked right into his eyes. _

"_It scares me." He professed. _

"_Understandable. Who is the lucky guy?" Greg pressed on. _

"_You." Nick said, as he looked away from Greg's eyes. Embarrassed, he closed his eyes and silently started to scold himself for being so rash. That was when he felt it. Greg laced his hand within his. And for the first time, he felt complete. _

"It's a long story, may be one day I'll share." Nick said as Sara pulled into the parking lot of the lab. "One day." He muttered.

Nick entered the lab. He left Sara, as she entered Grissom's office. They were going to meet in the layout room in thirty minutes, just enough time for him to see his lover.

He could see his boyfriend sitting at his desk. His eyes tired, and his hair flat. He must not have had time to gel it. He silently opened the door and Greg looked up.

"Hi." Greg smiled as he placed a lab report into a file folder labeled Day Shift.

"Hey." Nick smiled back as he leaned against the desk.

"So, did you come here with some swabs for me, or to just to see my devilishly good looks?"

"The latter one. I was actually wondering when you were taking your lunch."

"Let's see it is ten-nineteen now, probably around 11:30, but I got to run to the gas station, I'm down to like three miles, and then I got to jet to CVS to pick up some shit. You need anything by the way?"

"Uhm, yeah actually can you pick me up some contact solution, I'm out."

"No problem, anything else?" Greg asked as he jotted it down on his list.

"I don't think so. What do you need to get?"

"I need hair gel, hairspray, hair dye, some you know, KY, we're almost out." Greg's face turned red.

Nick laughed, "Hair dye?"

"Yeah, I want to be a brunette again." He said in a highly feminine voice.

"And let me guess, you need money?" Nick asked with a laugh.

"Please honey"

"Here." Nick said as he reached into his right back pocket and pulled out his tattered black wallet. He opened it and pulled out a fifty dollar bill. "Make it last."

"I will." Greg smiled.

"I told Sara about us." Nick said in one breath and almost barely audible.

"I know." Greg said.

"What do you mean you know I told her?" Nick asked confused.

"I told her like two days ago, when she caught me picking up the pictures from the wedding. And she saw the one of us kissing under the maple tree at the park you love so much."

"Then how come she didn't say anything to me?"

"I told her not to say anything until you were ready to tell her yourself." Greg smiled.

"I love you baby." Nick said lovingly as he rubbed Greg's hand.

"And I love you." Greg smiled as he grabbed the fifty dollar bill and shoved it into his lab coat.

"Now go put away the bad guys."

"I will." Nick smiled, "I will."

There is chapter seventeen. I hope you all enjoy. Thank you to all my reviewers! 50 REVIEWS! That is awesome, thank you. I know this chapter was shorter but it's purpose to show the domestics of Greg and Nick and how they got together. Next chapter will be much longer with the introduction of a character, who will stir trouble at the lab especially for one of our favorite CSIs. Thank you. Review please.

-Damien455


	18. Heart to Heart

"Love Is Not A Crime"

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Chapter Eighteen: **_Heart to Heart_**

Date: Sunday, November 12, 2004

Greg slammed the door to his brand new silver Volkswagon Jetta in the parking lot of the lab. He had traded his red Civic for the new Jetta two days before. Nick had been hesitant to sign the papers, but Greg tricked him into doing it. His eyes masked by sunglasses glanced around the parking lot. He could see CSIs from days leaving to scenes and returning. A beautiful Sunday afternoon and he was stuck inside. He was considering becoming a CSI but the pay cut would be big, and he wasn't sure if Nick and he would be financially set, even with Nick's salary. The one thing he didn't want to talk to Nick about was finances, especially now that they are living under the same roof.

With one last glance at his precious car, he made sure all three CVS bags were nestled in the backseat before clicking the alarm on. He smiled and proceeded in. he was putting his keys in his coat, and looking for his badge to scan himself in, when he heard rubber on pavement screeching. He looked to his left and saw a Nissan 350Z coming straight at him.

He quickly jumped out the way, dropping his badge and sunglasses to the ground. Angry, he flipped the middle finger to the driver, whom he got a good glance at. A brown haired, blue eyed woman. "Bitch!".

Still fuming he entered the lab, to see Grissom and Catherine pouring a case in the layout room. He saw Warrick talking to Hodges in Trace, and then he saw Nicky. Nicky was chowing down on a sandwich in the break room, as he and Sara reviewed case details. A smile crept upon his face as he approached the break room.

"Hey. You look angry." Sara observed as she took a bit of her egg salad.

"Yeah. Some bitch almost just ran me down in the god damn parking lot." He said angry, Nick putting his sandwich down stood up and rushed to his side in a discreet manor. "Are you okay?" he asked caring.

"Fine, but If I ever see her again. Oh man." Greg said making strangling motions with his hands. "Calm down, stud." Nick joked. And Sara laughed and made a fake gagging noise.

There were three different beeps going on at the same time. Sara reached into her purse and pulled out her pager. Nick reached for his off his belt, and Greg dug in his coat for his.

"Ecklie." All three said in unison.

"Weird." Greg said as he led the way. Nick grabbed the rest of his sandwich and followed suit.

"Hey, did you guys just get a page from Ecklie?" Warrick asked as he emerged from Trace, confused.

"Yeah, Can only imagine what the hell is going on." Nick answered his friend.

The four entered the Ecklie's office and saw Catherine and Grissom sitting in the chairs in front of the desk. "Sit down." Ecklie said to the group. They looked confused and saw that four more chairs had been brought into the office. They each took a seat. Warrick behind Catherine, Sara behind Grissom and Nick and Greg in the back.

"I would like to introduce our new Graveyard staff psychologist. I'm sure as you know, Philip retired after twenty-seven years. Everyone this is Dr. Addison Meritt." Conrad made his introduction as a tall brunette entered the room. Greg's eyes flared. It was the owner of the Nissan 350Z.

"Hello. I'm Addison Meritt." She smiled as preceded into the room, and next to Ecklie.

"Addison, this is the Graveyard shift. You will be working primarily with them. This is Supervisor Gil Grissom, CSI 3 Catherine Willows, CSI 3 Warrick Brown, CSI 3 Sara Sidle, CSI 3 Nicholas Stokes, and Greg Sanders, our DNA technician."

"Good afternoon." She smiled again. Catherine eyed the woman with deep interest and tried to analyze the shrink. Addison was tall. About Nick's height. She had shoulder length brown hair and ice blue eyes. She wore a black pant suit with a pale pink blouse. She had on a pair of black heels, and slung on her shoulder was a pink Coach purse. Her eyes hidden behind a pair of frameless glasses which did her facial features much grace. She was beautiful, and didn't look like a psychologist.

'How will she be primarily working with us?" Greg asked, as he eyed the woman who almost plowed him down.

"She has some forensic psychology experience. She will assist at scenes when necessary, perhaps be a profiler of some sorts, but also will be conducting sessions with each of you."

Warrick opened his mouth to protest, "All of you, it's mandatory." Ecklie finished.

Nick rolled his eyes. Just what he needed, a shrink prying into his life, if he didn't get it enough from his mother.

The introductions lasted for another five minutes before everyone returned to their cases, all except Grissom. He led Addison down the hall to her new office. She was smiling at all the techs as she walked down the halls. She caught the eyes of Hodges, Archie and even David, who was doing a trace drop-off.

"So, Mister Grissom, how long have you been here?" Addison asked.

"Too long." Grissom smiled as he opened the door to her office. She glanced at the door and saw Dr. Addison N. Meritt PhD written on a plaque on the door. The office was small and cozy. There was a couch, a winged chair, a desk and two chairs in front of the desk. There was a bookcase behind the desk, with a computer hooked up.

"Thank You." She smiled, and Grissom left. She sat down at her desk and pulled a crate of files up onto the desk. She rifled through the file folders and pulled out the files for all the graveyard staff members.

She stood up and closed her door, and returned back to her desk. She pulled her purse up onto the desk and pulled out a tape recorder. She opened and file and clicked the recorder on. "Personnel File 87-987, Gregory Sanders." And she started to read information and started analyze the tech.

Greg pulled a sheet of paper out of the printer and handed it to Catherine. "The vaginal contribution on the condom belongs to your victim. Anything else?"

"Thanks." She said distracted.

"Catherine?" Greg asked her as she reviewed the sheet of paper.

"Yes?"

'What's bugging you?" he asked as he sipped his coffee.

"Nothing." She said and glanced out the window of the DNA lab then back at the paper.

"Bullshit. I know you too well. Spill." Greg persisted.

Catherine gave in. 'It's Warrick. It's always Warrick. It's always been Warrick!" She slammed the results back down on the counter.

"What about everyone's favorite CSI?"

"I like him. I know it sounds so fifth grade, but I like him! I want him to notice me and be my boyfriend. I want what you and Nick have, hell I want what Sara and Gil has. I just want to be loved and have some sex. I just want to be loved. I want Lindsey to have a manly influence in her life other than her gay babysitters, no offense to you and Nick. I just want Warrick." She ranted as she sat down in Greg's chair and put her head in her hands.

"Wow. If you didn't think we were masculine enough you should have told us." He joked. She looked up at him, daggers in her eyes. "Just kidding." He said as he knelt down and looked at her.

"Have you talked to him about it?"

"Do I look like I talked to him about it?"

"Good point. I'm pretty sure he likes you. I mean he does do everything for you, and he gets all puppy-eyed around you."

"Yeah, than why is he dating some hooch named Tina?"

"Warrick's in a relationship, shit that's almost funny."

"Greg, you need to start getting serious when you want to have these little heart to hearts, or I will kill you, and hell I have done this job long enough I could get rid of your body and no one on either shift will find it, and I will get away with it, because without a body, no trial, and no trial means I'm off the hook."

"I think it is time you go and see Doctor Meritt."

"I don't like that woman. She was looking at Warrick a little funny."

'Then kill her, and let me live."

"You wish. I have to go. Thanks Greggo."

"No problem, Catherine. Oh, and just talk to him. It can't hurt."

"You're the best." And with that she walked out.

**There is chapter eighteen. I know it is shorter than I had promised. It is actually shorter than I had planned. So, what do you think of Addison Meritt, and what exactly are her motives? It's going to get complicated as she makes her move and claims her territory. As you can see there is a definite Nick/Greg, Sara/Grissom ships sailing, but what about the Catherine/Warrick? Will it ever leave the dock? Review please! Next chapter up soon! **


	19. Won't It?

"Love is Not A Crime"

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Chapter Nineteen: **_Won't It?_**

Date: November 12, 2004

Greg looked up at the clock for the tenth time that hour. It was quarter to six. What a beautiful time, he thought to himself. Fifteen minutes than he was off. Free to go home, color his hair, and just be normal. He was excited. He didn't have to report to work until Monday afternoon. He had to work a double, a four in afternoon to eight in the morning shift. He could survive. It was only eight hours without Nick and eight with him. He smiled.

He could see Nick and Sara stressing in the evidence room, trying to make sense of their case. According to what Nick had told him, all they know about their Jane Doe is cause and time of death, other than that: nothing. He looked up at the clock again, and saw that only a minute had passed. He rolled his eyes and looked back at the evidence room. He saw Nick getting up and heading his way. A smile crept onto his face.

"Hey G! I need you to run our victim's blood sample, just a routine blood profile." He asked.

"Alright." He said almost sarcastically. A routine profile took thirty minutes. "I'm going to have to put in for overtime now."

"For fifteen minutes? Ecklie and Grissom won't sign off on that." Nick laughed.

"I can try." Greg smiled as he took the vial of blood from Nick. "I can try."

**Thirty minutes later…**

Nick entered the DNA lab with Sara. "So, our results?"

Greg looked up at Sara and Nick from his tabloid magazine. "The only thing I can tell you from the sample is that your victim was AB negative. Other than that, I got nothing. I also sent the vaginal swabs that Doctor Grant sent over to Trace."

"Trace?" Sara asked confused as she looked at the blood profile.

"There was something non biological reacting to the machine. I sent it over about five minutes ago. Any leads?" Greg asked as he closed the magazine and slipped it into his drawer.

"Nothing. We got absolutely nothing. No possible suspects that we know of; minimal forensic evidence. We don't even have an ID yet."

"Well, ask Merritt to make a profile for you. She does have experience as a forensic psychologist."

"We could?" Nick looked at Sara with a questioning look.

"It could get us the night off and we won't have to work until shift tomorrow?"

"Should we?" Nick asked, unsure.

"Heck yeah. I would love to go home and take a bath!" Sara smiled as her beeper went off, as did Nick's.

"Hodges." They said in unison.

"I'll see you home?" Nick said to Greg.

"Yeah, I'll pick up some dinner on the way home."

"Okay, I love you." Nick smiled.

"Me too." Greg smiled and pulled his lab coat off. Nick waved and was gone with Sara.

…

Greg pulled his car into his usual parking spot in the parking lot in his townhouse complex. He pulled the bag of Thai takeout and the CVS shopping bags from the car and managed to make his way up to his door. He grabbed the mail from his mailbox with little effort and finally made his way up to the large blue door. He sighed as he fumbled to reach his keys in his coat pocket. He was lucky enough to pull the keys out and insert the silver house key without dropping any of the things in his hands.

He kicked the door opened and entered his small foyer which connected to the living room on the right and the kitchen on the left. With another kick, the door slammed and proceeded into the kitchen. He placed the bags down on the table and threw the mail down as well. He looked at the clock, it was quarter after seven. The sun was starting to set.

He hurried about the house closing the blinds in the room, and then set the table for two. He decided he didn't want to eat in the dining room, so he settled for the kitchen table. He finally had a chance to sit. He pulled out a chair and put his body into it. He pushed the CVS bags across the table, as well as the food. He then reached over and grabbed the mail. He could see The New York Times, and Nick's glasses on the counter. Nick's coffee mug, he forgot to wash, and a photo of Nick and himself under a tree in Texas on the fridge. A smile crept across his face. For someone who never thought he would have the perfect life, he had it all.

He thumbed through the mail. He was glad to see that Nick's mail was being forwarded properly. He tore up some junk mail, and grimaced at the bills. The utilities and phone bill came. He groaned as he placed them in a pile, and saw a white envelope. He checked the return address: none. He saw the post mark was Dallas, Texas. How could that be, he wondered. He tore it open and saw a Thanksgiving card from Trisha. He smiled, as he got up and placed it on the fridge.

Everything was great.

He diverted his attention again, and saw that the phone base was blinking. He had messages. He clicked play, and the recorded messages filled the house. An electronic voice started, "You have two new messages. First message sent at Sunday 12:36 pm"

"_Nick, this is your mother. It would have been nice to have been informed that you moved, instead of having some electronic woman tell me and give me this number. Why exactly are you staying with Greg? Did something happen to your home? Do you need money? Anyways, I was wondering if you were planning on coming to Texas for Thanksgiving this year. You haven't been here for a holiday in two years. Always working, you are. Let me know, so I know how many to book the Plaza for. If you want to bring a girlfriend, you are more than welcomed. Bye_."

Greg smiled. Nick's mother was so weird. She brought up a good point, what were they planning on doing for the holiday.

"Next message sent Sunday 5:21 pm."

"Greg_, it's your brother Marc. I need you to call me as soon as possible. Bye_."

"End of New Messages. To erase these messages, press Erase. Now." Greg opted not to erase, so Nick could hear his mother.

Greg walked over and picked up the black handset and dialed his brother's cell phone. It rang twice. "Hello?" he heard his brother.

"Marc, it is Greg. What's up?"

….**At the same time in the lab**…

"So, Addison, do you think you could do the profile?" Sara asked.

"Yes. I will need crime scene photos, autopsy report and photos, your notes, and access to evidence." She demanded without taking her eyes off her computer screen, as she typed an email.

"Not a problem. Here is all the information. The Evidence is in the vault; case number is 05-111203. Just sign in with the officer on duty." Nick explained.

"Thank you, very much. I will have it by start of shift tomorrow night." She responded clicking enter on the keyboard and looking up.

"Thank you very much." Sara said showing her appreciation.

"Yes. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a meeting with Conrad." She smiled and walked them to the door. Nick smiled his Texan smile, and Sara her gap tooth.

Addison proceeded out the door, and down the hall. The two CSIs were free to go.

"So any plans tonight?" Nick asked his partner.

"No, probably just dinner with Gil, then sleep."

"Nice. Have fun. I'll see you tomorrow." Nick waved as she headed towards Grissom's office, and he headed towards the locker room.

Nick entered the locker room, and proceeded down the row until he hit his locker. He turned the knob and pulled it open. He saw a photo of him and Greg taped on the door. It wasn't that revealing about his relationship with the younger man. It was taken at his birthday celebration in August. By then, they had been dating for two months. Greg had slammed a plate of cake into Nick's face, and it was covered in chocolate frosting. The two were laughing hysterically in the photo. Perfection.

He pulled his lab coat off and replaced it with his leather one. He was ready to go.

…**Twenty Minutes Later**…

Nick pulled open the door to the townhouse. He saw that the living room was dark as was the dining room. The only room he could tell had a light on was the kitchen. He entered the kitchen and found the food still in the takeout bag. "When is he going to learn, I hate Thai food?" he said to himself softly. He could see the bills on the table, and the junk mail. He also saw the card on the fridge. "How nice of her." He smiled to himself.

He walked through the dark hall and entered the bedroom. He could make the outline of Greg lying on his side of the bed. Not Greg's side, but his side. He smiled to himself as he pulled his jacket off, and crawled on the bed next to his lover.

He placed his body against his. His pelvis flush against the blonde's backside. Nick had an idea. He placed his left arm around the man, and kissed his ear. He knew something wasn't right. "G?"

A sob. "My daddy died." He sobbed childlike.

"Oh my god, G, I am so sorry." Nick said instantly and full of compassion.

Greg turned around to face Nick. Nick could tell he had been crying. Greg pulled the Texan close and sobbed hysterically into Nick's chest, as Nick whispered soothingly, "It will be alright." He stroked Greg's hair. "It will be alright."

Won't It?

_**There is chapter 19! Enjoy! Review please! Thanks, Damien455 **_


	20. Staying Behind

"Love is Not a Crime"

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Chapter Twenty: **_Staying Behind_**

Date: November 13, 2004

_We lead our lives like water flowing down a hill,  
going more or less in one direction until  
we splash into something that forces us   
to find a new course._  
- Memoirs of a Geisha

Nick awoke to hear Greg slamming through his closet and drawers. He let out a small groan as he glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand. It was eight in the morning. He let out another groan, when he noticed that he was still in his jeans and track jacket from the night before, and that he had an eleven to seven shift that night. He heard Greg mumble something to himself.

"Greg, are you okay?" Nick asked kindly.

"Do you think I'm okay?" Greg said with a sharpness Nick never heard in the man's voice.

"Is there anything I can do?" Nick asked again. He knew his boyfriend was close to his father and he couldn't even relate to what Greg was going through.

"Yeah, can you go make a pot of coffee." The younger man asked as he threw a pair of jeans into his suitcase, that was laying on the end of the bed.

"Sure, babe." Nick said as he got up, and stretched out his muscles. Before making the coffee, Nick changed out of his work clothes and into a pair of sweatpants and a tee shirt.

Nick walked through the house and headed into the kitchen. He could see everything where it was the night before. His keys thrown on the table, next to the bills. The bag of Thai food, that was probably on its way to being rancid. Greg's jacket placed on one of the chairs. His glasses and coffee mug from the previous morning.

Nick pulled the coffee beans from the cabinet, and proceeded to make the coffee. Greg would only drink Blue Hawaiian. A commodity, both were used to.

As the coffee grinded and started to drip, he grabbed his glasses and went into the bathroom. He looked into mirror. he then began to take his contacts out, and then placed them into their container and poured the last of his contact solution into each one. He placed his glasses on, and brushed his teeth. He could see Greg's toothbrush missing, as well as his razor, and various hair care products. He knew Greg would be leaving, soon.

Nick finished his task and went to go see if Greg needed anything. He entered the bedroom and saw Greg finishing packing his suitcase.

"Need anything?" Nick asked sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Nothing. Just coffee." Greg said avoiding his lover's eyes.

"What time are you leaving?"

"I'm taking an eleven o'clock flight. My brother is picking me up at the airport."

"Do you want me to come?" Nick offered lovingly.

"No. You're working all this week, and I don't want you to take off because of me."

"Greg, I would love to be there for you. I care about you way to much for you to go through this alone."

"Nick, you've never met my family, and I don't think my dad's funeral is appropriate. Not to mention, I already talked to Grissom about you taking off and he said it was impossible because both Warrick and Catherine have Thursday, the day of the funeral off."

"You told Grissom about us?" Nick said alarmed.

"Sort of, kind of, I don't really know. I didn't say 'Nick and I are together'. He probably wouldn't even be able to put two and two together."

"I wouldn't underestimate him." Nick said.

Greg laughed. Nick smiled. It was the first time Greg laughed all day.

"When are you coming home?"

"Next Monday. I'm on a seven am flight back. I will need you to pick me up at the airport though, around ten, ten-thirty."

"Of course, I'm going to miss you, lots."

"And I will miss you. I just wish this didn't happen. I knew it would happen eventually, but now? He was only fifty-four!" Greg exclaimed as he sat on the bed next to Nick.

"I know, but things happen for a reason." Nick didn't know what to say. He never lost anyone before. He had both parents, and three grandparents, with the exception of his mother's mother, who died when he was three, way to young to remember her.

"I don't need some psychotherapeutic answer to this, Nick. I just want to know why my dad had to go and die and leave me!" tears sprouting in his brown eyes, and Nick looked down.

"I know it's hard, but you'll be okay. You're Greg Sanders: strong, loving, ambitious, and brave. You will be okay. Sooner or later, I promise." He kissed the top of Greg's forehead.

"Nicholas Stokes, you always have an answer for everything." Greg smirked, and nestled gently into Nick's shoulder.

"Want to have some breakfast before your flight, babe?"

"Yeah." He smiled.

…**Later…**

Nick pulled his Tahoe into an empty parking spot at Las Vegas Airport. He put the vehicle in park and opened his door. Greg following Nick's lead. Nick pulled Greg's two suitcases from the backseat because the trunk was filled with his crime scene equipment.

"What gate do we need?" Nick asked his lover as Greg pulled his messenger bag on and straightened his sunglasses.

"Twenty-five, but I need to check in my luggage."

"I'm not that stupid." Nick rolled his eyes.

"Shut up, four eyes." Greg laughed and led the way. Nick humbly following.

Forty-five minutes later, the luggage was checked and on it's way to the plane. Greg and Nick were sitting in the waiting area watching planes take off and land.

"I don't think I can do this Nick."

Nick made a muttering sound signaling he was listening.

"I don't think I can bury my dad. He was my best friend growing up. It's hard to imagine that when I go home today, he won't be there."

"I know, but he's in a better place. You'll be okay. If you need me, you call me. No matter what. Night, day, when I'm at work or when I'm at the Laundromat. Whenever."

Greg just smiled, the pain of his father's death evident in his eyes. The pain was real, but it was somewhat subsided by the love Nick had for him.

"All passengers flying from Las Vegas to Los Angeles International are asked to report to Gate Twenty-five, at this time." A voice came over the PA.

"That's you." Nick said almost painfully.

"Yeah, I'll call you, when I land." Greg said solemnly as he pulled his messenger bag on, and grabbed his ticket from the front pocket.

"Be safe, I love you." Nick smiled to his lover, as he leaned in a kissed Greg for the first time in a public arena. "I love you more than you know." He whispered as he pulled the blonde into a bear hug.

"I love you too." Greg said as he pecked Nick on the lips, and then broke the embrace. Nick watched as Greg walked to the gate. He looked back and waved, and Nick did the same. A single tear rolled down his face, as Greg disappeared from view.

Nick stood in his spot and watched the big white airplane depart twenty-five minutes later. Another tear rolled down his face. It was the first time, that Greg and he were going to be apart for more than a day, and it pulled at his heart-strings.

It was the first time, where he was _staying behind_.

**There is Chapter Twenty! Wow, I can't believe that I made it here. More to come soon! Thank you to all my reviewers! Thanks. Damien455 **


	21. Breakfast with Catherine

"Love Is Not A Crime"

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Chapter Twenty-One: Breakfast with Catherine

Date: November 13, 2004

_Love is passion. Obsession. Someone you can't live without. Someone you fall head over heels for. Find someone you can love like crazy, and will love you the same way back. Listen to your heart. No sense in life without this. To make the journey without falling deeply in love, you haven't lived a life at all. You have to try, because if you haven't tried, then you haven't lived._

_-_Meet Joe Black

Nick drove along the strip. The radio blasting country music. Tears silently streaming down his face. What was he going to do without his lover for a week? He had grown so accustomed to waking up with Greg next to him. Waking up to coffee brewing and the newspaper divided between the two of them. Breakfast all set on the table, with a glass of orange juice. Although those moments were few and far between, he missed them and loved them all at the same time.

He silently sang along to the Toby Keith song on the radio. He glanced at the time on the dashboard. 1:05. He reached into this pocket and pulled out his cell phone and scrolled for Catherine's number. He pressed the green phone symbolizing send and it was dialing. Ring, Ring, Ring, and finally the blonde answered.

"Catherine, it's me." Nick spoke into the phone.

"Hey, why aren't you sleeping?" she asked groggily. Nick knew he had woken her up. He sighed and took a deep breathe and explained everything. "Meet me at the dinner in twenty minutes." Was all she said before hanging up.

A sigh of relief, Nick pulled the car around and headed towards the dinner.

Twenty-five minutes later, the two were settled in a booth in the back of the dinner. Catherine was wearing a large hoodie and sweatpants. Her designer bag of the week placed on the table between them.

"How are you holding up?" she started the conversation.

"Like crap. I feel so useless. He obviously needs me, but I can not get the time off to be with him. If only I had not gone to my sister's wedding." Nick blamed himself.

"I know it sucks, but like he said, it was something he needed to do alone. I know that hurts because you and he are like inseparable. You know him, he doesn't ask for help when he needs it most. He's independent, and I know you try to be the nice guy and always dependable, which don't get me wrong is an excellent quality and I admire that, but he needs to be by himself for now. And when the time is right, you'll know when to step back in. You know?"

"I know. He has been through so much. He puts up with me and the whole hiding what we are until I'm ready, but I want him to know he's not in this alone. He doesn't need to be alone because I love him and I'm here for him."

"Trust me, he knows. Nicky, Greg knows you better than you think. I knows what you are trying to do, but at the same time, he wants to be independent. He doesn't want to you to burden yourself with his problems."

"That is the thing, though; he's not a burden to me. He never has been. Remember the time with the bus accident, where he 'froze' in the field?" she nodded her remembrance. "He apologized to me a thousand times because he thought that he was a burden because he was stuck with me all night long."

"That's just who he is. His father died. I didn't know he was close to his father, but apparently he was. And we, as his friends, need to give him space right now. I know that is especially hard for you because you are more than a friend. You are his boyfriend and roommate all at the same time. Have you ever gone through something and just need space from everyone?"

"Of course, I have. I remember when I was nine and after that whole thing with the babysitter, I wanted to be alone and away from my family as much as possible, but this is different. I was alone back then, he's not alone though, and it stresses me out that he thinks that."

"Nicky, did you ever think that maybe his dad had a place in his heart that was not touched by you? I mean, I love so many people, hell, I still love Eddie, god rest his soul. Our hearts are so capable of love, that there are people that can't be touched by the love we make. This love I have for you and Greg, can't touch the love I have for Eddie because one, I haven't slept with you, not that I haven't thought about what it would like, but because Eddie meant something to me in a different way than you do."

"So, you're saying that you've always wondered what it would be like to sleep with me?"

"Stay on the subject, Nicky. Greg's love for his dad can't be touched by your love because it's different. Greg needs to be alone right now to sort this all out. He'll be back in a week and everything will be just fine. He needs time."

"Where would be without you?" Nick smiled to his friend.

"Lost completely and forever."

"I love you, Catherine." Nick smiled as he placed his hand in hers. She smiled.

"I love you too, you big ogre. Now how about we order some breakfast, and maybe you can help me with my problem."

Nick smiled. Maybe being without Greg wouldn't be that bad. Bad, but not completely unbearable.

**Here is chapter twenty-one. I know it's really short. This was just a chapter to introduce the next chapter, which is all about Greg and his week in Los Angeles. Update to come sooner, hopefully in the next week. Thank you to all the reviewers! Love, Damien455 **


	22. Writing on the Wall

"Love Is Not A Crime"

Disclaimer: See chapter one

Chapter Twenty-Two:**_ Writing on the Wall_**

Date: November 13, 2004

**Author's Note: This Chapter is Greg-centric. Anything in _italics_ is Greg's thoughts, memories, and journal entries. Note, there is some language and sexual content, and mentions of drug and substance abuse. **

_November 13, 2005_

_I'm sitting back in my childhood room. It hasn't changed much. The blue walls are just the same, bare. I went unnoticed in high school and had no pictures in my room. Except one. I glance at it. Nestled on the top of my desk, next to a Stanford view book from when I was applying to college. It was my family before my Mom left my Dad. I was fifteen. Oh Dad, why did you have to leave? _

_My brother picked me up at the airport. I knew he was having rough time dealing with it. He was my Dad's little boy. I was his big boy, and now he was dead. My brother's eyes were red and puffy. I assumed it was from crying. When I got into his car, I knew it was not. He had been smoking. I could smell the marijuana and it reminded me of when I was in high school. I had first smoked pot when I was fourteen, and continued until I was nineteen. I quit only because my dad was disappointed in me. My Dad knew how to change my life. _

_When I moved to Las Vegas, my Dad was proud. His son the DNA technician at the country's number two crime lab. He would tell everyone. _

_I miss not having him here. Everyone is downstairs crying. My step mom and little half sister, trying to get through. My Mom and her husband, and other child were sitting down there too. I was surprised, Gloria my step mom and my Mom never got along. Ever. _

_I sit here now, staring out my window. I could see the ocean. We didn't leave near it exactly. We lived fifteen minutes from the beach, but your house upon the hill gave me a perfect view. My window was open and here I am leaning against it. A cigarette in hand, just like I did when I was a teenager. Smoking weed was a disappointed, cigarettes were not. My Dad smoked, even until he died, and that's not what killed him. I'll never forgive my family for what they did. Never. _

_I got into the car at the airport and my brother behind the driver's seat. I offered to drive because he was high, he declined. "How did Daddy die?" I asked, I need to know. _

_Marc looked at me, and looked away. "Dad had cancer, Greg." _

_The big C, my dad had the big C. I never knew. He never told me. No one told me. _

"_What?" I yelled dumbfounded, and Marc nodded. _

"_He was diagnosed with prostate cancer six years ago. He told us to never tell you." _

"_AND YOU FUCKING LISTENED?" I yelled back, furious at my family and my father. _

"_He didn't want you to worry. You had just started at the lab, and dad didn't want you to come home and jeopardize your job. That was the most important thing to him. You being a scientist, that's what he wanted." _

"_So that's your justification? Because Daddy was proud of me! You say it like you're jealous in the first place, and second of all, why wouldn't anyone tell me! In six fucking years, no one told me my father had cancer. How can you people live with ourselves? I didn't get to say goodbye to him, I didn't even know he was sick and needed that goodbye. You screwed me out of my closure. I hope you're fucking happy!" I roared and looked out the window, he didn't say a word to me at all. Good._

_When we arrived home, I grabbed my suitcase and went upstairs, ignoring my mother, and everyone. I was too angry, and everyone knew that. I remember hearing Marc getting screamed at by our Mom for telling me. Good. I have never been this angry, even after the time Nick drove my Honda into a telephone pole because he thought it was in reverse; it was in drive. That was three months ago. _

_I should go downstairs and see my family. I've been home for three hours and said nothing to them, which would be rude. _

Greg flicked his cigarette out the window and closed the window. He sighed a long sigh and finally went downstairs. He could smell food, probably something Norwegian. He knew his Mom would be cooking.

"Hi, sweetheart. You hungry?" his Mom asked, and Greg nodded no.

"I'm so sorry, Greg, about what happened." She spoke and pulled her son into an embrace, an embrace he didn't want.

"Whatever." He said and broke the hug and pulled open the fridge and grabbed a Smirnoff Ice. He pulled the cap off and took a swig.

"Shouldn't you be having soda instead?" she asked.

"Why, would I do that?" he said, his eyes giving her the once over.

"Because you swore to us you would stop drinking, after you know what." She said.

_Ah, yes I remember now. I was twenty-one, and I was driving home drunk, when I crashed her car into a guard rail, and wound up broking my zygomatic arch, and my nose. After that I swore I wouldn't drink again. I lied. I've gotten drunk with Nick many times. The one thing I promised was that when I drank, I would never drink, even after one beer. I kept that promise. I wasn't an alcoholic like everyone thought. _

"I'm not an alcoholic." He said and walked outside to be alone. That's what he needed the most. To just simply be alone.

**There's chapter 22. I know it's short, but I think the content of it is important. The next one will be longer. Happy Holidays! –Damien455**


	23. Confessions

_**Love Is Not A Crime**_

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Chapter Twenty-Three: **_Confessions of a Teenage Chess Player_**

Date: November 14, 2004

**Author's Note**: This chapter's title is based off of the movie: "_Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen_". This chapter is simply a series of flashbacks into Greg's past. This chapter is also written in the first person Greg's point of view. The song pieces are from Relient K's "_Who I am Hates Who I've Been_".

I'm sitting silently in a lounge chair in our backyard. I can see the old tire swing hanging in one of the trees Dad loved so very much. I remember when he built that swing for me. I was so young and impressionable, and above all innocent. The good old days. I still can't believe that in two days I will be burying my father. My life will never be the same.

_**I watched the proverbial sunrise  
coming up over the Pacific and  
you might think I'm losing my mind,  
but I will shy away from the specifics...  
**_

_June 10, 1980_

"_Daddy, what are you doing?" I asked. I was only five, I had no idea what was going on. _

"_It's a surprise, Greggy." David Sanders told me. He was a strong man, back then. His voice had a confidence, that I would inherit in my later years. _

"_Tell me, Daddy!" I demanded in my persistent tone of voice. I had to know. I needed to know. _

"_Well, I am making you a tire swing. That way you can swing, grandpa made one for me, when I was your age." _

_I screamed in excitement! I loved to swing. I still do. I remember sitting there in the summer heat of California watching my father build this swing for me. I was so excited. My dad was 'my everything'. When it was done, I was swinging higher than I could at the park. My dad just smiling at me. He was so happy. "I love you, Greggy." he cooed as I got off the swing and a wave of dizziness washed over me. _

"_I love you too, Daddy." _

I can't believe he's gone. I never expected this to happen. Not in the way he did. He always joked that he would outlive everyone because he couldn't bear leaving us behind. That didn't happen. He died first. He was only fifty-four.

I started to cry.

_August 19, 1984_

"_Look, Greggy, it's your little brother." Dad said to me in the hospital. Mom had just given birth after nineteen hours of labor. I had a purpose in life. I was a big brother. _

"_Daddy, what's his name?" a nine year old me asked.. _

"_Marc Alexander Sanders." he told me, and I smiled. I looked into the eyes of my little brother. He had brown eyes just like me and everyone else in our family. _

"_Can I hold him?" I asked innocently. _

"_Yes, Greggy. You can." my dad smiled. _

Those were the good old days. Then it all went to crap.

_February 19, 1990_

"_Greggy, Marc, there is something your father and I need to discuss with you." our mother said at dinner. _

"_Yeah?" I asked, as I shoveled mashed potatoes in my mouth. _

"_Your father and I are getting divorced." there, she said it. The big D word, we had all heard her yell at our Dad before, and now she was doing it. Marc started to cry instantly. He was only five at the time, I was fifteen. _

"_Are you kidding me?" I spoke flabbergasted. And she nodded her head no. Dad didn't look up once, he stayed focused on his plate. _

"_Your father and I decided that if we were to stay together and be as we were, it would be detrimental to you two. We think what we are doing is for the best." she said to us. I couldn't tell if she was convincing us, or herself. _

"_Alana, that is bull and you know it. You don't want them to know the truth." my father said, his eyes still not leaving his plate. _

"_Marc, why don't you go to your room and play, while I talk to Dad and Mom?" I told my little brother. He nodded and left. _

_Once he was out of the room. I started. "What is the real reason?" _

"_Gregory, you need not be concerned with that right now." she said in a motherly tone._

"_I'm fifteen. I deserve to know the real answer. Dad?"_

"_There you go, siding with your father." she said meanly. _

"_I wouldn't have to, if you would only tell me the truth!" I yelled. _

"_Greggy, don't talk to your mother like that." Dad said. He used my nickname. I felt loved by one parent that night._

"_Your mother is unhappy with me. She has decided that for the best of you and Marc, to divorce me. It's for the best."_

"_Dad, how can you say that? She's my mother. I don't want her to leave." _

"_I won't be leaving your life. I will be moving across town." she said._

"_Where?" I asked. _

"_In with my boyfriend." There. She said it again. The truth hurt more than I expected. I looked her in the eyes, my eyes wet with tears. I stood up and walked out. I didn't come home that night. I stayed at my friend, Joe's house. I never had the same respect for her. _

I still don't.

_**'cause I don't want you to know where I am  
'cause then you'll see my heart  
in the saddest state it's ever been.**_

This is no place to try and live my life.  


_October 12, 1992_

"_Greggy, it's already October, have you thought about college?" Dad asked over dinner one night. I was sitting dully staring at my food. After the divorce, I chose to live with my Dad, Marc was appointed to my mother. I really saw him except for when I go to dinner on Fridays._

"_Yeah." I spoke trying to avoid the subject at all costs. _

"_Well, where have you been thinking?" _

"_Stanford. I really want to go to Stanford." I said._

"_That's a great school, son. Pricey, but I'm sure with your good grades and extra-curriculars you'll get a scholarship, and your mother and I will do what we can."_

"_Dad, I don't want to go though at the same time." _

"_Why is that Greggy?"_

"_I don't want to leave you here alone. I'll be in San Francisco, and you'll still be here." I said sullenly. _

"_Greggy, don't worry about me. I want you to go where you will be happy. That is what's most important and you know that. Plus, I won't be alone, Gloria will be here."_

_Gloria, Dad's girlfriend of a year and a half. Darling woman really, she was Latina and kind and treated my dad right. The only problem was Dad was forty-two, she was twenty-three and pregnant with another man's child. _

"_Are you sure Dad, I don't want you to be alone." _

"_Greggy, ever since your mom and I divorced, you've been an excellent son. It's time you do something for yourself."_

"_I love you Dad."_

"_And I love you, Greggy."_

And I still love him. And I blame myself for his death, if only I had never gone to Stanford, then I wouldn't have found my way to Las Vegas, and my dad would have told me he was sick and then I would be able to say goodbye.

_**Stop right there. That's exactly where I lost it.  
See that line. Well I never should have crossed it.  
Stop right there. Well I never should have said  
that it's the very moment that  
I wish that I could take back.  
**_

_April 3, 1997_

"_Greggy, is everything alright?" my Dad asked, as I was sitting on the couch, just staring blankly at the wall. _

_I grunted my acknowledgment and shook my head 'no'. He could see right through my facade. He always could. "You're lying to me son." _

_I looked up at him. He was older now. Older than before. I was twenty-two and he was forty-seven. I could hear Gloria, and her daughter, my step-sister, Gaetana upstairs. My brown eyes connected with his. A connection only a son and father could have. _

"_Dad, do you love me?" I asked weakly. _

"_Always and forever, you know that. You're my son." he responded. _

"_Daddy, would you still love me, if I were to tell you that I'm in love with someone." _

"_Greggy, you're in love! That's great!" my Dad exclaimed happily. _

"_With a guy." I said bluntly and rather fearful of his reaction._

"_Are you telling me you're gay?" I was afraid, and nodded yes. Tears building in my eyes. _

"_You're my son. I love you no matter what. If you found happiness with a guy, then that's good enough for me." he approved, and above all he accepted me. _

"_I love you Dad." I cried softly as he sat next to me and pulled me into a hug. "You're my Greggy." he too was crying._

For twenty-two years, I convinced myself I was straight, and now he knew the truth. Those seven long years ago, he knew the real me. I light a smoke. And now, I'm crying.

_**I'm sorry for the person I became.  
I'm sorry that it took so long for me to change.  
I'm ready to try and never become that way again  
'cause who I am hates who I've been.  
Who I am hates who I've been.  
**_

_May 15, 2003_

_I woke up from a rather painful skin graph. The pain was intense and I could hear the morphine being pumped into me to relieve the pain. I could see that my friends were in my room, waiting for me to awake. Two days earlier, I was in a lab explosion and suffered partial to full thickness burns on my back and neck. Great, there will be scars. Catherine was sitting silently, she was sad and blamed herself for what had happened. I told her it wasn't her fault. She still blamed herself. _

And still does to this day. _  
_

_Warrick and Sara were talking silently, as Grissom was chatting with the doctor. There I could see him: Nick. He was sitting in the chair closest to my bed. He was silently watching me as I slept and woke. When our eyes met, he didn't look away but smiled. _

"_Hey, buddy. There's someone here to see you." Nick said to me as he reached for my hand._

"_Who?" I asked weakly. _

"_Me." the voice spoke, and I looked up and saw my Dad. He was standing in the doorway, next to Grissom. I finally caught on, that wasn't a doctor talking to Grissom, it was my Dad. _

"_Daddy!" I said in my weak demeanor. _

"_Greggy, I was so worried about you. Mr. Stokes, here called me and told me what had happened." he said as he took Nick's seat, which Nick offered up, and took my hand. "I'm so glad you're okay." _

"_I love you Dad." I said weakly once more. _

"_I love you too, you freak-ball son of mine." _

_Everyone started to leave the room, when I called out, rather strongly. "Thank you, Nick. Thank you." He just smiled and went on his way. _

From there on out, Nick and I would be friends and in a year time, he and I would be lovers. If it wasn't for Nick's compassion for me, and calling my Dad, I would have never got to share a life with him. Thank you, Dad.

**_I talk to absolutely no one.  
Couldn't keep to myself enough.  
And the things bottled inside have finally begun  
to create so much pressure that I'll soon blow up._**

_May 21, 2004_

"_Dad! It's me, Greggy." I spoke into the phone, excitedly. _

"_Yeah, son? You know it's five in the morning here, don't you?" he said sleepily. _

"_Yeah, but this couldn't wait. Nick, you remember Nick, don't you! He asked me out tonight at a party!" I yelled excitedly into the phone, careful not to wake a drunk Nick, who was passed out on my sofa. _

"_Greggy, that's great news, congratulations! Have you two you know yet?"_

"_Dad! That's gross hearing that come from my Dad, and no. He's drunk and passed out on my couch, but I told you he liked me!"_

"_I'm very happy for you son. Now, maybe, he'll be the step in the right direction to getting better?" _

"_Hopefully." I smiled calmly. I was on anti-depressants because of the accident, one year before. _

And he was right, Nick got me off them, and I've never been happier. Until now, where all I can see is my Dad in everything I do.

**_I heard the reverberating footsteps  
sinking up to the beating of my heart,  
and I was positive that unless I got myself together,  
I would watch me fall apart.  
_**

I stopped crying as I replayed all the important memories of my Dad. I miss him, and nothing will be the same. Who am I now without him? I know I have Nicky, but what about the one thing every son should have: a father? I toss my cigarette butt, and head inside to get drunk in my room and do the one I can do: **_cry._**

**I hoped you enjoyed! Review please, I'm trying to make it to sixty reviews before the New Year! Happy 2006 everyone! -Damien455**


	24. I Love You

_**Love Is Not A Crime**_

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Chapter Twenty-Four**_: I Love You_**

Date: November 16, 2004

**Author's Note: Thank you for the reviews from last chapter. This chapter is also written in Greg's point of view. Warning, there is adult language. The song is "I Love You" by Sarah McLachlan.**

I sat in the front row of St. Pious Roman Catholic Church. I was wedged in between my brother and step-sister, Gaetana. Gloria was crying hysterically as was my mother. She sat with my step-father and half-brother.

As the priest began the funeral service, I couldn't help but be overcome with emotion. I started to cry silently, as the priest went on and on, about how my father would meet Jesus Christ and live an eternal life in heaven. Everything I didn't want to hear. He was gone.

"David Sanders came into this life with God, and he departed this life with God. May he forever be with God as he exits this life and enters in a life of eternal glory and happiness." Father Grayson spoke.

I wanted to scream.

The funeral went on for almost an hour after that. My step-mother got up and started talking about how a great man he was, and how everyone loved him. Yet, I didn't feel as if it had come from the heart. It seemed like all it was is to save face because she was the widow now. And what was I? The abandoned and forgot about son.

I started to cry the most when his casket was wheeled out, and placed back into the hearse. The crowd of a hundred or so people then flocked to their cars to go to the family plot at the cemetery. I can't do this I told myself.

The ride to the cemetery was a blur of tears and angry emotions boiling in the depths of my soul.

I was angry at him for dying. I was angry at myself for not being there. I was angry at my family for lying to me for six years. Six fucking years.

The limo finally stopped and we all exited and headed up the hill towards the family plot. I can see the stones where my grandparents on my dad's side were, my own paternal grandmother was there too. She died when I was fourteen. My grandfather was in his wheelchair, upset and distraught. The poor guy had no wife and no more children. My dad's sister died when my dad was twenty-five. Two months before my birth. My heart cried for Gramps.

The gray stone looked good in the early afternoon sunlight. Etched in it was Sanders in big letters. Underneath read David G. Sanders. 1954-2004. May You Find Peace.

I cried some more. Luckily my eyes were hidden by my purple aviator sunglasses which so perfectly matched my silk lilac tie. Always a gay man, my mind laughed.

The priest went on and on, his words just a blur to my grieving heart. I scanned the crowd. The pained faces of my father's cousins, aunts, uncles and friends. No one seemed to sobbing. Only Gloria, who was being embraced by Marc. My mother had a stoic look on her face. She was burying her first true love and her ex-husband.

I continued to scan, and there I saw him. Standing in the sunlight. His eyes hidden by black sunglasses, but I knew who he was. He was dressed casually in a white turtleneck sweater, jeans and a chocolate brown corduroy blazer.

Nick.

I started to cry heavily, as I saw my best friend and true love standing there. He came. I made my way through the crowd getting confused looks from my family. I pushed past my great-aunt Irma, as I made his way to him.

"Is that really you?" I asked weakly as I was face to face with him.

"It's really me, _G_." Was all he had to say for me to know it was him. Only he called me G with that genuine tone.

I started to cry more and more heavily as he pulled me into his arms and kissed the top of my forehead.

"How?" I asked as I cried into his shoulder.

"I told Grissom, I had somewhere more important to be. Crime will be there when I get back, but you needed me now, and I need you." he said silently as he tightened the embrace.

"I love you." I cried as I looked up at him and kissed him. He kissed me back, so tenderly.

"I love you too, G."

We broke the embrace and I grabbed his hand in mine, and everyone started to place roses on my dad's casket. I walked slowly forward, Nick's hand still in mine. I grabbed a rose, and placed it on my dad's casket with reverence and respect.

"I love you, Dad. So much, and I never really got to say goodbye and there is so much I wanted to show you. Nick's here Dad, he came to be with me. I know you're greatest fear for me was that I would never find love, but I did, Daddy. I love you, and I'm proud to be your son." I kissed the head of the rose and placed it on the casket, and cried once more.

Nick squeezed my hand and said a few words, "Mr. Sanders, though I never met you. I promise to cherish and love your son, and make sure he is happy. I promise you that." he too placed a rose on the casket, and pulled me into an embrace.

"Let's go home." I whispered in his ear and pulled him closer. I could smell his cologne, the one I bought for him two weeks before. Polo Green. The same scent that my Dad wore.

"Lets." Nick said as he kissed my forehead. And I knew that he would keep that promise from this day on. I was in love.

_**I have a smile**_

_**stretched from ear to ear**_

_**to see you walking down the road**_

_**we meet at the lights**_

_**I stare for a while**_

_**the world around disappears**_

_**just you and me**_

_**on this island of hope**_

_**a breath between us could be miles**_

_**let me surround you**_

_**my sea to your shore**_

_**let me be the calm you seek**_

_**oh and every time I'm close to you**_

_**there's too much I can't say**_

_**and you just walk away**_

_**and I forgot**_

_**to tell you**_

_**I love you**_

_**and the night's**_

_**too long**_

_**and cold here**_

_**without you **_

_**I grieve in my condition**_

_**for I cannot find the strength to say I need you so**_

_**oh and every time I'm close to you**_

_**there's too much I can't say**_

_**and you just walk away**_

Nick and I went back to my house that night, and laid in bed. We didn't have sex, or make out or anything sexual like that. He simply held me because that was all he could do, as I cried on his shoulder, and I knew that everything would be fine. I knew it in my heart and in the love Nick had for me.

_**and I forgot**_

_**to tell you**_

_**I love you**_

_**and the night's**_

_**too long**_

_**and cold here**_

_**without you**_

I finally knew true love.

**I know this chapter is shorter than most, but I wanted to leave it here. I felt that this is where it needed to end. Please Review! This will be my last update for this story in the year 2005. More to come in 2006. Happy New Year and be safe. Best wishes, Damien455**


	25. Closure

_**Love Is Not A Crime**_

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Chapter Twenty-Five: **_Closure _**

Date: November 17, 2004

**Author's Note: Thank you to all my reviewers! Thank you for your dedication to this story and being so patient with me. Now, onto the next chapter of "Love Is Not A Crime". As before, anything in italics are Greg's thoughts. **

Greg awoke to a familiar setting. The sun pouring through the window and being wrapped in his lover's arms. He could smell the cologne that Nick put on the prior day, it was still there. Still strong. Greg inhaled deeply.

He glanced at the clock on the other side of the room, 8:45 am. He rubbed his eyes. "Ugh." he muttered as he pulled himself out of Nick's embrace and climbed out of the twin bed.

He stretched for a bit before finally making his way downstairs into the kitchen. He could see Gloria and Gaetana already dressed. Both wearing tired expressions.

"Good Morning." Gloria spoke to Greg, who nodded.

"We're heading to the attorney's office at nine-thirty. He's going to read your father's will. Are you going to come? I wasn't sure if you would be able to handle it."

He looked at her as he poured himself and Nick a cup of coffee. _Why so you could steal my inheritance? _

"Yeah, Nick and I will be ready. I have to pick Marc up so I'll meet you there. Michael's office is still on Franklin Avenue right?"

"Yes, and do you think it wise to bring your boyfriend to your fathers – my husbands – will recitation?" she spoke with disdain. She didn't like homosexual couples.

"And you suggest I leave him in a strange house, in a strange city, in a strange state all by himself. Fat chance, he's coming. Plus, he's part of my family." with that Greg went upstairs to dress and wake Nick. _Bitch_.

When Greg re-entered his room, he could see Nick had stirred and was now hugging a pillow as he slept. _How cute_.

He placed the coffee cups down, and climbed into bed next to Nick, and gently rubbed his arm, slowly waking him. "Hi." Nick smiled sweetly.

"Hey, sweetheart. You should get dressed. We have to be downtown at nine-thirty. We have forty-five minutes."

"Okay. Would you mind if I showered?"

"Not at all. The bathroom is the third door on the right when you take a left out of the room."

"Thanks babe. I'll be back shortly." Nick smiled as he reached in for a quick tender kiss and grabbed his toiletry bag.

_He is so hot. _

Greg stripped out of his suit, which he didn't bother to change out of. The lazy bum he was the night before. He changed his boxers, and settled for a casual relaxed look. A pair of tight jeans, his black converses and a black Marilyn Manson tee-shirt. He knew his dad liked Marilyn, especially when he was in a bad mood, and needed to hear the sounds of a young Greg to fill the house.

"What to do about my hair?" he spoke to himself into the mirror in his bedroom. He didn't dye it like it had planned, he had no time. "I guess I'll style it when Nicky's done."

Nick came back into the room. He had a white towel with Gaetana's name embroidered on it in purple. His hair was still wet as was his whole body. Greg smiled.

"About time, we're leaving in ten." Greg smiled as he kissed Nick and was on his way to tend to his hair.

Nick laughed as he dried himself off. He pulled on his boxers, followed by a pair of jeans, and some socks. He pulled a navy blue tee shirt on over his now dried chest, and then a white and blue pinstriped Oxford, buttoned it, tucked it in, and rolled then sleeves.

He looked in the mirror. He could envision an awkward teenage Greg staring into the mirror. A true science nerd and chess player with braces. No glasses though. Greg has perfect vision, he reminds himself. Weird: a science nerd with no glasses. He chuckles as Greg comes back in the room, ready to go.

"Let's go. I called Marc and told him to drive himself to the office." Greg smiled.

"Why would we have to pick him up anyways?" Nick asked, as he pulled his jacket on.

"He's always stoned." Greg laughed, and led the way. He closed the door. The coffee cups laid on the dresser. Undisturbed.

_**Downtown:**_

In the small corner office of Michael Granger, Esq, the Sander family gathered. Marc was leaning against the bookcase, Greg was seated to the lawyer's left, with Nick behind him, his shoulder calmly placed on Greg's shoulder. Gloria sat to Greg's left, as Gaetana sat in a folding chair along the wall. In a winged chair in the back of the room sat Alana Madox, Greg's mother.

"Okay, well shall we start?" the attorney asked. Michael Granger was in his mid-sixties and one of David Sander's close friends.

"David had quite a large amount of money to his name."

"How much?" Gloria asked. _Gold-digger_.

"Well with his assets from his job as an investment banker, his social security and other finances, he had approximately $850,000." Michael read off a piece of paper in front of him.

"Holy Shit." Marc said flabbergasted. Gloria clasped her hand over her mouth. Gaetana continued off into her own world. Alana looked at her pumps, nodding.

Greg gasped, and grabbed Nick's hand. For years, his dad had been complaining how he was poor.

"Dad, always said he struggled with money." Marc said.

'That's because, as David once told me, he wanted this to be a surprise. He wanted to die knowing that you, all of you, would be financially set."

"That's David, always thinking of everyone else." Alana spoke for the first time, and Gloria sneered at her.

"Okay, David leaves Marc Alexander Sanders a total sum of one hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars to be put towards college and other expenses as he sees fit. David leaves his ex-wife, Alana Olivia Hojem Sanders-Madox, a total of fifty thousand dollars. David leaves a total of fifteen thousand dollars to Gaetana Elizabeth Ramirez-Sanders. David leaves Gregory Hojem Sanders a total sum of two hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars and the contents of his safety deposit box at Wachovia Bank, number seven hundred and three. David leaves the additional amount of three hundred and eighty-five thousand dollars to his wife, Gloria Rosa Ramirez-Sanders. David also leaves his residence, 1256 Huntington Circle to his wife. His 2003 Volvo s80 is to be given to Marc Alexander Sanders. The Sand Diego beach home, 56 Ocean Lake Boulevard is to be given to Gloria Rosa Ramirez-Sanders." the attorney read, leaving everyone in awe.

"Two hundred and twenty-five thousand dollars!" Greg said rather excitedly to Nick, who smiled.

"You're Dad apparently wanted you to be set. That is more than I make in two years." Nick chuckled. And Greg smiled.

Everyone was happy and in shock about what they had received. As to where, Gloria was concerned, she inherited a chunk of his money and could forget about all of them. It took another ten minutes for everyone to sign the appropriate paperwork. When Greg signed his name, the attorney handed over a small brass key. "It's the Wachovia on Bayside."

"Thank you." Greg smiled as he took the key.

Nick and Greg drove to the bank. For the first time, Greg was smiling and that made Nick smile.

They entered the bank and stood in line, patiently waiting. Nick's phone vibrated and he answered.

"Who was that?" Greg asked as Nick hung up.

"Sara. Addison complied a profile for a suspect." Nick answered.

"Oh." Greg was going to continue but he was cut off by the teller.

"How can I help you, sir?" a young woman in her early twenties asked.

"I would like to get something out of my father's safety deposit box."

"Okay, and what number would that be?" she asked, and Greg told her number 703.

"Okay, we have that registered to a David Sanders. He's your father?" she asked.

"Yes, he just died. He left me whatever is in that box. Can you tell me how long he's had this box?"

"I'm very sorry for you loss. He's had the box for about three and a half months. According to our records, we are only allowed to release the contents to a Gregory H. Sanders."

"That's me." Greg said.

"I'm going to need to see some identification." she smiled. Greg nodded and pulled out his battered brown wallet and pulled his driver's license out.

"Ah, Las Vegas. I'm going next month with my fiancé for Christmas."

"You'll love it." Greg nodded as she checked his face to the picture on the card. Once done, she returned the license and pulled out two forms. Greg filled them out quietly, and signed his name. The teller took the forms back and signed her name on the bottom, and spoke to Nick.

"I'm going to need you to sign the line under my name. The one that says witness." she handed him the form, and he signed his name in his messy handwriting. "Thank you. I'll be right back."

"Who knew you needed a witness to get a safety deposit box." Greg laughed as she returned with the box. "If you would like I can show you to a private room where you can go through it in quiet, or I can have everything packaged for you and you can take it home."

"A private room would be nice." she nodded and led the two men into a private room in the back of the bank. She placed the long silver box on the table and left. Nick closed the door, as Greg sat down in front of the box. He took a deep breath and pulled the contents out.

A picture of Greg and his Dad at his high school graduation. A picture of them at Disneyland in 1979, he was only four. A picture of them at the Crime Lab, when Greg first got his job there.

A tear escaped.

Then Greg pulled out a letter. A white envelope with Greggy written across the front in his Dad's horrible script. Greg pulled out the letter and read:

_Greggy, _

_My boy, my big boy. If you are reading this now, that means I have moved on. I am so sorry that no one ever told you about my sickness. It was under my instructions that they didn't. I know you must be mad, but I need you to know the truth. I am so proud of you. More than you know. When you went to the lab in Las Vegas, you were not only my son, but my hero. You were Greg for the first time in a long time, and not my little Greggy, although at times I wish you were. I know it is unfair that you would never get to say goodbye, unless your family goes behind my back and tell you before I die. I want it to be this way. You saying goodbye to me would be the most painful thing for you to go through, and for me to listen too. I know what I did can be construed as selfish, but I want you to know, I did this for you. I want you to live a life in Las Vegas with Nick, like I know you deserve. I don't want you to be caught up in my memory and in being angry with me. The reason I wrote this letter to you and not to anyone else is because you didn't know the truth, and because you are my favorite son. Don't tell Marc this though. You were always by my side. After you came out to me I read up on it, and many of the books said that gay men are usually the children of an overprotective mother and non-existent mother. You were lucky to have two loving parents, even if your mother left us. _

_I don't want you to be angry with her anymore. I've moved on, as had she. Don't forget to tell her you love her. She is the best thing that happened to me because she gave me you and your brother. Don't get caught up in remembering me, and who I was. Remember the good times, but move on. Don't feel sorry for me or for yourself. Be strong, and always remember that I love you. Oh, and Greggy, Nick is a good catch. Hold onto him. _

_I'll be watching. _

_Love Always, Daddy_

Greg folded the letter up and tears started to sprout from his brown eyes. He rubbed his face, trying his hardest not to let it show that he was crying, but he couldn't do it. He pushed the chair back and went over to Nick and pulled the older Texan into a loving embrace. Greg cried on Nick's shoulder for ten minutes before finally composing himself.

He placed the pictures and letter in his jacket pocket and took the box and went to return it to the teller. Nick stood by the door and watched his boyfriend. Greg looked different. He looks like he finally found what he needed in this ordeal. Closure.

**Review please!**


	26. Leading the Way

_**Love Is Not A Crime**_

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Chapter Twenty-Six:**_ Leading the Way_**

Date: November 18, 2004

**Author's Note: Warning for sexual content (m/m) and some mild language. Thank you too all my reviewers! Here is chapter twenty-six, you all deserve it!**

Greg and Nick loaded up the taxi, they were to take to the airport.

"Are you sure you can't stay until Monday?" Gloria asked, as Greg slammed the trunk of the yellow taxi shut.

"No, I should really get back to work, and Monday is our anniversary."

"Well, you two can celebrate here." Gloria suggested.

"Well, that's really sweet, Gloria, but Nick isn't on paid leave, and I need to go home. I need to sort things out back there and everything. You know?"

"Of course, sweetie. You be safe now. Call when you get home."

"I will." Greg smiled, as Nick leaned against the cab.

"I love you, Gregory. I know I'm not your mother, but you're like my son." She kissed him on the cheek.

"You're wrong, Gloria. I am your son." Greg smiled as a tear crept into his eyes. "I love you."

"Bye, Mrs. Sanders." Nick said politely, only to be welcomed with a hug and kiss. "Take care of him." she whispered in his ear. "I promise." he smiled.

The two said their goodbyes to the rest of the family and were on their way. The cab ride lasted only thirty minutes before they arrived at the airport. The two checked their bags and waited to be boarded. At three o'clock they departed from Los Angeles and headed home to Las Vegas.

_Las Vegas..._

The couple walked through the airport parking garage heading to the location where Nick parked the Tahoe, three days earlier. Greg looked at his watch, it was almost six o'clock, and he was beat.

"You want to stop for something to eat?" Nick asked as he packed the suitcases into the back of the truck.

"No, I kind of just want to go home. I'm not hungry."

"Okay, baby." Nick said as his stomach growled and he climbed into the driver's seat. He started the car and pulled out.

The car ride was remotely quiet. Greg just stared out of the window as they drove through the strip. He could see Grissom working a scene in the parking lot across from some strip joint, he didn't even bother to wave.

"Music?" Nick asked as he reached forward and turned on a country station.

"I have a headache." Greg said miserably as he turned the radio off.

"Greg, why are you being so cold?" Nick asked as he made a wide left turn.

"I'm not being cold. I'm in a bad mood." he said simply.

"Yeah, well don't take it out on me. I'm just trying to help." Nick said with attitude as he stopped at a red light.

Greg ignored him. The cingular ring tone could be heard in the car, and Nick reached into his coat pocket and pulled his cell phone, read the ID and answered.

"Hey Momma, what's up?" he said as he made a right turn.

"Uh, I don't know if I can make Thanksgiving right now. I just got back from Los Angeles, and I don't think I can get the time off."

"No, mom I had work to do in Los Angeles." Nick said as he stopped at another red light.

Greg glared at him. His bad mood worsening.

Nick looked at Greg and saw his face, and knew he was in for it.

"Alright Momma, I'll call you tomorrow morning. No I'm not working until tomorrow night. Alright, I love you too." and he hung up.

"Work, huh?" Greg said as Nick pulled through an intersection.

"Greg, you know I can't tell my parents just yet." Nick said in frustration.

"Yeah, because you haven't been gay for I don't know six months, and you still haven't told you lousy parents!"

"Don't talk about my parents like that! It's not something you just come out with!"

"Yeah it is, that's why they call it coming out, you idiot."

"So now we're name calling? That's mature Greg, really mature."

"Oh, so now you're calling me immature. Nice Nick."

"Yeah, well now you're acting it."

"I don't know why is it so complicated for you to tell your mother you are a god damn fag." Greg said as Nick pulled into their apartment complex.

"Because she doesn't like gay people, Greg. She never has. She thinks they are dirty and immoral. I can't tell my mom I'm one of those people she loathes. I care too much about her to hurt her!" Nick parked the car.

"Yeah, well you're hurting me." Greg said as he opened the door and hopped out and slammed the door.

Nick, who was in a bad mood himself, pulled the suitcases out of the truck and carried them inside without Greg's help. Greg was already in the house by the time Nick got in.

"What the hell are you doing?" Nick asked Greg as Greg was placing a pillow and blanket on the couch.

"Setting you up a bed." Greg said in a foul tone.

"Are you serious? You're putting me on the couch?" Nick questioned with an undeniable attitude.

"If you keep talking to me like that, you'll be outside."

"I live here too, Gregory!" Nick roared angrily.

"Not yet you don't. The deed isn't finalized."

"You know, we all didn't know we were gay at twenty-two! It's not so easy."

"You were gay, you just didn't act on it until thirty-two!" Greg pushed past him.

"Don't push me!" Nick said as he pushed Greg back.

"Oh so now you want to fight?" Greg said as he regained his stepping and pushed Nick again, who this time flew back into a bookcase in the living room.

"That hurt." Nick said pissed off, as stood back up and began to step towards Greg, who was moving back and forth to avoid the older man.

"I love you, but so help me God." Greg spoke, as he charged at Nick, who pushed Greg backwards onto the coffee table, which broke under his weight.

"You're gonna pay for that! Literally!" Greg roared as he stepped up to Nick and made the first swing, something Nick didn't see coming until Greg's fist met his eye.

"OW!" Nick screamed almost girly as he fell back and grabbed his eye.

Greg stopped in terror. Shocked at his own belligerence.

"Oh, my God, I'm so sorry!" Greg whined as he knelt next to Nick and looked at eye, which was beginning to bruise and swell.

"It's okay." Nick said as he blinked a bit.

"No it's not. I'm so sorry. Sorry about everything." Greg whined.

"It's okay. And I should be the one who's sorry."

Greg didn't argue there, as he reached forward and caressed Nick's face gently, and finally reached forward to kiss the man. Nick accepted Greg's smooth lips with his own eager lips, which were more rough.

The two deepened the kiss, and added tongue.

Nick's hands found Greg's tee shirt as they kissed and he pulled it off the younger man, exposing his hard abs and chest.

Greg did the same to Nick, but also found his pants, and undid the belt.

"Let's go to bed." Greg moaned as Nick lifted the younger man up and led the way.

**Yeah, so I couldn't resist putting a bit of Nick and Greg love in here. Enjoy and review!**


	27. No More Secrets

_**Love Is Not A Crime**_

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Chapter Twenty-Seven: **_No More Secrets_**

Date: November 19, 2004

**Author's Note: Here it is, the chapter many of you have been waiting for since the early stages of the story! Warning, sexual content and adult language are present. Italics are flashbacks. Review please! **

Nick woke up nude and wrapped in his and Greg's bed sheets. His head was pounding and his right eye wouldn't open. Confused, he stood up out of bed, and quickly found his boxer shorts, hanging from a nearby lamp. He slipped them no, as well as a tee shirt and found his way to the bathroom.

He looked in the mirror and saw that his eye lashes were crusty, and there was a purple and blue border around the eye. He struggled for a few moments as he forced his eye opened. He remember that nights fight. How physical it got. How mean they were. How great Greg was in bed that night.

"_No one fills me like you do." Nick moaned to Greg as Greg thrust his manhood into him. _

Nick let out a groan of pain, as he rummaged through the cabinets for Advil, which he found and swallowed two without water. A bad habit, he learned from his sister, Alex.

Once in the living room, he could see the table that he had thrown Greg into.

_I love you, but so help me God." Greg spoke, as he charged at Nick, who pushed Greg backwards onto the coffee table, which broke under his weight._

The bookcase was out of order. They had really done it this time. They had become fighters. Nick had started to pick up books that had fallen, when the phone rang. Nick scurried over to answer it, for he didn't want to wake Greg.

"Good Morning?" Nick spoke into the phone.

"Hey. Son, how are you?" he heard his mother's voice ask. "I'm good, Momma. And you?"

"I'm just fine. I was wondering if you had found out if you would be joining us for Thanksgiving?"

"No mother, I have not. I'm not working until eleven tonight." Nick sighed as he picked up a photo of Greg and himself from a birthday party five years ago off the floor and back onto the bookcase.

"Will a girl be joining you?" Nick groaned to her question.

"Well?" Mrs. Stokes pressured.

"No, Momma. There won't be a girl." Nick sighed. It was now or never. "And I don't think there will be again."

"Why would you say something like that?" confused. Great. Confused was not a good role for Mrs. Stokes to play.

"Momma, what I mean is, I found someone." Nick was one step closer.

"So you did find a nice girl to settle down with! Do I hear wedding chimes in the future?" she sighed happily.

"Maybe, but wait, I'm getting ahead of myself. You remember Greg, don't you Momma?"

"Of course. However, I thought there was something fruity about him." The word fruity pierced Nick's heart.

"Mom, Greg is the reason I was in Los Angeles, not for a conference. His father died."

"Oh, well that is very tragic. You're a good friend to be there for him."

"Mom, I was there because I love him." There Nick had said it.

"Nicky, I understand." she said.

"You do?" he choked out.

"Of course. Greg is a close friend of yours, and you obviously care a lot about him to take off from work to be with him." Nick slammed his head against the wall ever so gently.

"Momma, I love him as in I'm in love with him. He and I are together!"

Silence, and then a _Dial Tone. _

He didn't expect his mother to take it well, but to hang up on him. That's a little over doing it. The phone rang again, and he knew it was her.

"Hello?" Nick spoke into the handset.

"Why would you say something like that to your own mother?" she accused.

"Mom, I couldn't keep lying to you." It was the truth.

"Why, Nicholas, why? Didn't I raise you well enough? Is this some sort of joke?"

"No mother, it's not. And yes you raised me well. It's just that Greg and I have a connection."

"And you felt the need to embarrass me by telling me you're together?"

"Momma, this isn't about you, it is about me and Greg. I love him, and I have for some time."

"Are you sexually active?"

"Yes mother, we are, not that it's any of your business."

"Nicholas, sodomy is a sin and a crime." she said harshly.

"In Texas, not Las Vegas. And it isn't sodomy, it's love."

"Love is between a man and a woman. Did you not pay attention during Sunday School?"

"Yes, I paid attention, and I was content with girls, until I started to realize that I like Greg."

"So, you woke up one day and decided to like men?"

"Not men, momma, there's never been men. Just Greg."

"Nicholas, I can't support this. What would your father say?"

"Don't tell him. It's my business to do so."

"So you want me to lie to my husband of thirty-six years? Is that what you're telling me?"

"Yes. It is not your place to tell him."

"Nicholas, I gave birth to you, and if I think something you're doing is wrong, then I need to tell your father!" she yelled.

"You might want to lower your voice, I wouldn't want him to hear you."

"Hold your tongue."

"Momma, I'm in love and I'm happy, isn't that more important?"

"Nicholas, I want you to be happy, but couldn't you be happy with a female?"

"At a time in my life, I did. But now I can only love Greg. It's our six month anniversary tomorrow."

"Whatever. Does anyone else know?"

"Trisha."

"I'm going to punish her for not telling me."

"Leave, her alone. She didn't do anything wrong. If you want to be angry like a martyr then by all means go for it. But I love Greg and that won't stop because you have a problem with that. And on second thought, I'm not coming for Thanksgiving. I'm spending it with my boyfriend!"

And once again, she hung up.

Nick sat down on the couch as he placed the phone on the charger. Tears welling in his eyes, as he put his face in his hands.

"I'm proud of you." a voice spoke from the doorway. Nick looked up and turned his head and saw Greg standing there.

"Promise, me that it will all be alright?" Nick pleaded as he cried.

"It will be, in time." Greg said as he sat down next to Nick and wrapped his arms around him, and placed Nick's head on his lap. And Nick cried.

And so did Greg.

**Review please!**


	28. Responsibilty

_**Love Is Not A Crime**_

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

Chapter Twenty-Eight:**_ Responsibility _**

Date: November 19, 2004

Warnings: Mild Sexual Content between Males.

Nick cleaned that morning. He fixed the house up nice, like it was before anything happened the night before. Greg sat in the kitchen and watched him clean, as he insisted he wanted to do it alone. It was something he had to do by himself. He felt responsible, and Greg couldn't argue with that. He never could argue with Nick's responsibility, even though sometimes he wished he could.

At around one o'clock, Nick showered and dressed. Clad in a gray tee shirt and Navy track pants, he threw on a matching track jacket and grabbed his keys. "I'm going to Ikea to by a new table. My cell's on." and he was gone. Greg just nodded.

As the door shut, Greg stared down at his cup of coffee. He felt horrible. It was his desire to have Nick come out to his family, that caused this fight. He felt like shit for giving his lover, his soulmate, a black eye. Would he ever forgive himself, even though Nick had?

He stood up, abandoning his coffee, and went to shower. He had to make this right. He had too.

The warm water washed itself over his body, which was slightly bruised. He cried slightly as he replayed the nights events in his head. He couldn't believe what happened.

He had just gotten out of the shower, and started to dry himself off, when the phone rang. He groaned as he wrapped the white towel around his body and ran into the kitchen to grab the phone. He didn't bother reading the caller ID, as he picked up and breathed a hurried Hello into the receiver.

"Nicholas?" the voice spoke to him.

"No, this is Greg. Nick's out right now, can I take a message?"

"This is Mrs. Stokes, Gregory. Can you tell Nicholas, that I called and would like him to call me back on my cell phone. It's important."

"Alright. May I ask what it is concerning?"

"No, you may not. This is family business, which doesn't concern you." the words stung Greg.

"Okay. Have a good day, Mrs. Stokes, oh and if you ask Nick, I'm sure he'll tell you, I'm family." and with that he hung up, not even waiting for a response from the older woman.

Greg placed the phone back on the hook, when he glanced at the clock above the oven. It was eleven thirty. He knew Nick had to be at work in twelve hours, for a long shift to make up for his absence. An absence that Greg felt responsible for. He decided to make lunch.

For the next hour and a half, Greg managed to make chicken cutlets, mashed potatoes, string bean and tomato salad and brownies. He was not a culinary person, but was particularly pleased with how it all came out. He knew Nick would be happy. He chose a bottle of red wine, and set the table.

At around one-fifteen, he heard Nick pull into the parking lot and get out of the car.

"I found a table, but I don't think it matches the wood in the bookcase. I have a picture to show you!" Nick said as he entered the hall and kicked his shoes off. He walked into the kitchen holding the photograph.

He stopped in his tracks when he saw the food. "What's all this?"

"Well, since you and I have not had a meal together at home in a while, I thought it would be nice to have something to eat before you have to go to work." Greg smiled.

"That is so sweet." Nick cooed as he kissed Greg on the lips.

"Now sit." Greg urged Nick, who did as he was told. Once Nick was seated, Greg proceeded to fill his plate up with all the food on the table. Nick was shocked at just how much Greg piled on the plate.

"Thanks, babe." Nick smiled awkwardly as Greg finally took a seat and barely put any food on his plate.

As Nick finally shoveled the last bit of food into his mouth, he noticed Greg was just watching him.

"What?" Nick smiled amused and confused.

"You look beautiful."

"Isn't that something you would say to a girl?" Nick raised an eyebrow.

"Well, you know after all you are the girl in this relationship!" Greg smiled with a laugh.

"You're gonna pay for that." Nick said placing his fork and napkin on the table and heading towards Greg, who ran out of the room.

Once Nick followed Greg into the bathroom, he saw that the bedroom had been done up very romantically. There were candles lit, and music playing softly. There was body lotion and lubricant on the bed side table. Their white cotton sheets were removed and satin ones were replaced.

"What's all this?" Nick smiled excitedly.

"I figured, that since we both have to work tomorrow night, we would celebrate our anniversary tonight. Think of this as a preview." Greg smiled as he kissed Nick gently. Nick returned the kiss more passionately. "I hope," Greg started to undo Nick's belt, "you like it." He started to slide Nick's pants off.

"Maybe I'll be the girl tonight." Nick whispered and both fell back on the bed.

**Author's Note: Sorry for the delay in the updating. This chapter struck me hard to write. I had such writers block. I had Nick come out, and then I had a hard time with the transition from that scene to this. I hope you like, and more will follow. Thank you.! REVIEW!**


	29. Free

_**Love Is Not A Crime**_

Disclaimer: See Chapter one

Chapter Twenty-Nine: **_Free _**

Date: November 19, 2004

**Warning: There may be some mild language and slight sexual content. **

Nick and Greg awoke around 7:00 wrapped in each others arms. Nick softly kissed Greg's ear nudging him awake. "Good morning, love." he whispered as Greg tried to go back to sleep.

"It's my night off." he said as he cuddled closer to his pillow, and pulled the comforter over his cold, naked flesh.

"Fine." Nick argued and climbed out of bed and headed towards the shower.

In the shower, Nick was embraced by the hot water. The steamy water massaged his tense back muscles as he stood there for five minutes before leaning his head back and letting the water run through his hair, as he ran his fingers through it.

When Nick left the house, that night, Greg was still asleep. That's the thing about Greg, he could sleep all day long if he had too. Not a bad thing, when you work nights. All the time. That particular night was slow. It was only Grissom and Nick on Graveyard. It was Warrick and Catherine's night off, and Grissom said something about Sara being ill.

Nick had just returned from the break room, when Grissom came striding over to him, joining him in the A/V lab.

"Hey boss, what's up?" Nick asked as he typed his password into a computer, to check his email.

"I need you to call in Warrick, Catherine, Greg, and Addison." he said sternly with a solemnity that Nick couldn't place.

"What's up?" Nick asked more alertly.

"Brass called. Seven victims in a homicide. All hands are on deck. I already called Sara, she's meeting up there."

"Oh dear God. Address?" his eyes large.

"121 Hillcrest Road. Coroners are en route." With that Grissom left.

Nick frantically searched for his cell phone and called the Graveyard CSIs. Nick looked at the clock, 1:45. The slow night turns into the hottest case all year in fifteen seconds.

Nick and Grissom rode in silence to the crime scene. Hillcrest Road was located in Green Valley, amongst a fairly suburban neighborhood. As they approached the scene, Cops and three coroner vans lined the outer exterior.

"Gil, it's a mess in there." Brass said greeting the CSIs.

"Have we identified the bodies?" he asked, getting the point.

"Martha and Alexander Goode. Both 45. And their five children. Marie and Claire, both 17. Kristin, 15. And James, age 11, and Charles, age 9." he read from a notepad in his right hand.

"Man, so young. Is David in there?" Nick asked, overwhelmed.

"Yeah. David, the days coroner, Carl? And that new ME."

"Okay. Nick, I'm going in to see the damage. Wait here for the team." Grissom said following Brass. Nick nodding his head and waiting. There was no rush, well no immediate rush. The dead can wait.

Addison Merritt walked through the crime tape after a flash of her crime lab badge. She looked tired.. She was dressed casually in comparison to her heels, and designer suits for work. She wore a white sweater turtleneck under her dark blue peacoat. She wore blue jeans and white running shoes. Her brown hair was in a messy ponytail, and her face had no makeup. Her pink Coach bag rested on her shoulder as she walked towards Nick.

"Hey, Nick. How bad is it?" she asked looking at Nick through her glasses.

"Pretty bad. Seven victims, ages 9 to 45." Nick said with a reverence that Addison hadn't heard before.

"Damn. Is Gil here?" she asked.

"Yeah he's inside assessing everything. Once the coroners are done, we're heading in."

"Okay, thanks." she said as her cell phone rang. She sighed and pulled her phone from her bag. Twenty seconds later she hung up and rolled her eyes.

"Everything alright?" Nick asked in his Texan compassion.

"Yeah. That was Conrad. He's on his way here to oversee. He needs to me to do a profile."

"Great. Ecklie. Just what we need, a two-faced loser hanging on our backs."

"I can tell you don't like him." she said as she made eye contact with the younger man.

"No, not at all. He is rude, arrogant and needs a reality check." Nick said angrily as he saw the love of his life walking towards them.

"Hey." Nick smiled despite the circumstances.

"Hi." a groggy and tired Greg spoke. Greg wore a black tee-shirt and a grey Texas A&M zip hoodie. He had on blue jeans and black converses.

"Nice hoodie." Nick laughed.

"Shut it, it was the only thing I was able to find." Greg looked at Addison. "Morning."

She laughed a bit and smiled. "How are you doing?"

"I'm good, but I feel as if it's all about to get worse."

"Yeah." she smiled as Grissom walked out of the house. "Catherine and Warrick aren't here yet? Hello. Greg, how are you?"

"Hey Gris. I'm fine. So what's the damage?"

"Grant has prelim CODs as exsanguination due to stabbing. They're all still in bed."

"It reminds me of that case few years back. The family that was killed, you know, the one where the daughter orchestrated it because of the sex abuse and all that."

"Thank you, Nick, I do remember and didn't need you to give me a full summary." Nick looked at his boots.

Catherine and Warrick walked through the crime tape together. Greg rose an eyebrow that Catherine caught and nodded No with her head. Catherine was in black trousers and a red tank top with her blue Forensics jacket on, and her blonde hair was in a tight ponytail. Warrick had on a blue tee shirt and white sweatpants from Hollister. Greg laughed, Hollister and Warrick.

"Whoa, Nicky, what's with the shiner!" Warrick exclaimed as he approached the group.

"I fell." Nick said sheepishly and looked at Greg, Catherine's eyes following.

"Okay, we can deal with that later." Grissom said as he went into a description of the scene and victims.

"Okay, what do you want us to do?" Catherine asked.

"Warrick will take the twins' room. Nick take James and Charles' room. Catherine will take Kristin's room. And I will be in the parents' room. We're doing things differently tonight. There is a lot of blood in the rooms and floors. It can come from any of the victims. Greg will be in charge of collecting all DNA evidence. Catherine, when you're done processing the girl's room, I need you to help Greg, also you and him will be in charge of making a blood splatter floor plan. Addison, will be in all rooms watching and inspecting. She's doing a profile. Everyone understand?"

They all nodded their agreement and started their jobs.

Four hours later, the physically and emotionally tired CSIs and psychologist exited the house. Each of the CSIs were balancing multiple bags of evidence and their cameras. Greg had two evidence bags filled with DNA swabs and bloody sheets. No one was looking forward to going back to the lab. A Double, perhaps triple was in order.

"Surprise, surprise. Ecklie didn't show up." Nick said to Addison as they walked towards where the cars were parked.

"Yeah, well he had called and told me to report back to him." she nodded.

"Oh." Nick said with a look of suspicion.

Addison got into her car and pulled out. Nick rolled his eyes and saw Greg coming towards him and a smile entered his face.

"What a way to spend our anniversary." Greg said in a joking manner as he just smiled at Nick.

"I know, but just remember what last night was like."

Greg laughed as he saw Warrick approaching. "We need to tell him. I mean he is the only one who doesn't know."

"I know, but I think it's something I need to do on my own, no offense, but he's my best friend."

"No problem. He's always come off as homophobic, so I'd be afraid, but he likes you, so you should be fine."

"Yeah. I'll see you at the lab?"

"Yeah. I'll be in DNA all night and possibly into tomorrow night." Greg rolled his eyes and placed a gentle hand on Nick's shoulder and headed off. Nick's heart skipped a beat.

"Hey, Rick!" Nick called out to his African-American friend.

"What's up Nicky?"

"Can we talk later? When we're on break?" Nick asked, his eyes once again darting to his boots.

"Yeah, no problem. Is everything alright?" worry present in his voice.

"No, I just need to talk to you about something. So, I'll see you at the lab?" Warrick nodded as Nick headed to his Tahoe.

The drive to the lab was uneventful. The murders were all over the radio with the usual, if you know anything contact this number service announcements. Nick rolled his eyes as he put on a country station and rocked out all on his own to Kenny Chesney's "Back Where I Come From".

When he got to the lab, Nick saw Greg in DNA cutting swabs, mixing solutions and listening to music, which to Nick sounded like semi-organized noise. Catherine and Sara were in a layout room, going through their evidence and taking samples of blood and trace. Warrick was with Jacqui in the Print Lab going through the prints collected. Grissom was still at the scene.

Nick took his evidence bags to a deserted layout room, and placed the bags on the table. Then he headed towards his locker. He removed his black leather jacket and replaced it with the standard navy blue lab coat.

Twenty minutes later, Nick was just about to begin his analysis of the first bag, when his pager went off. He rolled his eyes and saw Ecklie. Nick angrily pulled his latex exam gloves off and threw them on the table and headed towards Ecklie's office, where he was sure he would get in trouble. For something.

'Sit." Conrad said sternly to Nick, and Nick did just that.

"We seem to have a problem here, Mr. Stokes." his eyes flashed dangerously.

"And what would that be, Conrad?"

"Let me start off saying, that I would have expected this from Sidle, but not you. Dr. Meritt so kindly informed that you told her that I need a reality check, that I'm arrogant and rude. And before you say anything, to try and get out of the hole you so eloquently put yourself in, if this wasn't the biggest case of the quarter, I would suspend you."

Nick's eyes were wide with anger. "I apologize for saying those things. I won't lie to you, because unlike some people, I don't lie, cheat or use other people to get information."

"Stokes, watch it. That's strike two. One more and you're suspended two weeks with no pay." Nick was incredulous.

"Conrad, we have worked together for almost seven years. You know that at times, you can be the least favorable person around. But I am a good CSI, I do as I am asked and I try my hardest to be the best. I spent the last six years proving to Grissom, that I am a capable CSI, and if you suspend me for something as trivial as this, then you're ruining my standing with Grissom."

"No, Stokes. You would be ruining your standing with Grissom. I let you get away with a lot of things around here."

Confused Nick asked, "Really? What kinds of things?"

"I don't know. Your relationship with Greg Sanders, for instance."

"What about my relationship with Greg? We're close friends." He was desperately hoping that Conrad didn't know about them. But how?

"Close friends or lovers? I saw you too having a intimate moment in a layout room, when you and Sidle were working the mayonnaise case."

"Define intimate."

"Kissing rather passionately. I don't pretend to know that Greg was always like that, but you. That was a shock. And I don't think you would like the lab director to know that you two are having relations on county time."

"Conrad, you don't know what your talking about." Nick sighed.

"Stokes, don't lie to me. I know you and Sanders are dating or whatever the hell you're doing. But having relations on county time is a serious thing."

"We weren't having relations." Nick placed relation in air quotes.

"How can I believe you? I catch you two kissing and I am automatically to assume that you two have never had sex on the clock?"

"Conrad, with all due respect, shut up. This is none of your concern. The relationship, Greg and I have is strictly confidential and personal. It has nothing to do with work, and for the record, he and I have never had sex in this lab." Nick was red with anger.

"Control yourself, Stokes." Conrad said with a calmness not normal for the situation.

"I'm done." and with that Nick got up and walked away with the quickness of a marathon runner.

"I'm not done with you!" Ecklie yelled after him, and Nick just kept walking.

Nick walked down the halls, with Conrad yelling after him.

"If you don't stop, you're suspended!" Nick kept going to the one place he was safe.

"STOKES!" and still he kept walking, not looking back.

By now everyone was poking their heads out of their offices and lab and watching Conrad yell at Nick. Nick, the perfect one, the one who never gets reprimanded.

Nick walked right into DNA. His lab coat catching up to his long strides. Greg looked up from his desk and saw the upset, tear filled eyes of Nick. He wasn't crying yet, but was on the verge.

"Sweetheart?" Greg asked instantly, not watching his choice of words.

And Nick started to cry silently as he pulled the younger man into a hug, a hug the whole lab saw. A hug the whole lab was whispering about. And it didn't end there. Nick leaned in slightly and kissed Greg gently and tenderly on the lips as tears ran down his cheeks.

And for the first time: They were free of their secret.

**Here is Chapter Twenty-Nine! So sorry for the lengthy delay. I apologize heartily! I hope you all enjoyed this drama/angst filled chapter! Updates will be sooner! I promise! Have a good Easter! Damien455**


	30. Control

_**Love Is Not A Crime**_

Disclaimer: See Chapter one

Chapter Thirty: **_Control _**

Date: November 19, 2004

**Warning: Mild Language. **

The kiss lasted a full thirty seconds, before both pulled away together. The tears were still falling down Nick's cheeks, and were starting to erupt in Greg's eyes. Greg reached up and wiped the tears from Nick's eyes and pulled him back into a hug. Not knowing what was wrong, it was all he could do. Forgetting that they were at work, Greg looked up and saw the entire lab staring at them. Grissom had his stoic look plastered on his face. Catherine was smiling heavily. Conrad looked pissed off. Hodges started to laughing and whispering to Bobby Dawson, who smacked Hodges arm. A majority of the lab looked either surprised, happy, or unaffected. Then there was one face that stood out from the entire crowd.

Greg tried to remember a time in his life where he had seen so many emotions etched on one face. He couldn't. Warrick's face was marked with the looks of anger, disgust, shock and an elegant sadness. Greg felt bad. His heart was aching for Warrick.

"Nicky." Greg said to Nick, who finally managed to compose himself.

"Yeah, G?" Nick's brown eyes melted with Greg's.

"Warrick. He doesn't look to happy about this." he whispered, but the words sent a chill down Nick's spine. Nick turned his head and saw his friend. Warrick was wedged between Catherine and the QD technician. Nick's eyes quickly met his, and Warrick looked away immediately and pushed his way through the crowd. He was gone.

Nick sighed in defeat as Grissom entered the DNA lab. Grissom cleared his throat to assure that he had both of the men's attention. When he saw that he did he proceeded, "As happy as I am, we do have a lab to run. So get back to work." _Typical Grissom_, thought Greg.

"Sir, I need to talk to Warrick first, about what just happened." Nick spoke.

"Nicky, I understand that you didn't tell him about your relationship, but we have a serious case going on."

"Gris, I understand that. Honestly, I do but I can't work with Warrick if I don't talk to him about this first. He needs to hear this from me. Please." Nick pleaded. Nick never pleads.

"You have a half hour." and with that he left.

"I have to go make this right with him." Nick started to talking to himself in a frenzied panic. "What if he doesn't trust me? What if he's angry? Is he homophobic? What do I say? How do I explain this?"

"Whoa, Nicky, slow down." Greg said to Nick gently. "Breathe, babe. In. Out. In. Out."

"What you need to do is approach him and just start telling him all about us. Well, not us, but you know what I mean. Explain to him how this happened to you. God knows he knew about me for years."

"G, you're rambling now."

Greg instantly stopped talking and looked at the older man. "What I mean is be you."

And Nick nodded. Being him, who better to be him than him, he thought to himself as he gave Greg a peck on the cheek and exited the lab and in search of Warrick.

Nick couldn't make it through the halls without everyone stopping their work and staring at him. He had never felt so exposed than he did right then and there. He finally saw Warrick working in a lay out room in the back of the lab. The door was closed and he was writing furiously on an evidence log sheet. Without knocking, Nick entered the room and closed the room. Warrick looked up and stared right into Nick's eyes. Nick's eyes looked right back into his and he could have sworn for a minute, Warrick didn't know who he was. And pain ached in his chest.

"Warrick, man, can we talk?" Nick asked as he sat down opposite Warrick.

"Whatever. I don't know if I can believe you, seeing how you've been lying to me for sometime. Wait, before you even open your mouth, how long has this thing being going on?" Warrick was angry. He had every right, Nick told himself.

"Six months. Greg and I have been dating for six months today." Nick said as he looked down at the glass table.

"Nice. Six months, you've been lying. What a best friend you are. So let me guess all the times I asked you to go to the bar and you said you had to go home, were you with him?"

"Yes." Honesty: Nick had nothing to do but be honest.

"All those girls you sacked before this thing with Greg started, were you even straight or did you make them up?"

"That all happened."

"So one day you wake up and decide to switch teams?"

"It's not like that." Nick said pointedly.

"What's it like? You obviously like taking up the butt now."

"Warrick, that is none of your business. I have a connection with Greg, a connection I have been missing all my life."

"Oh, so anyone can be gay because of some stupid connection?"

"Warrick, I never expected you to understand. But I at least thought you would be able to accept that I am with Greg now."

"Are you sure you're gay? Can't you just be in a phase?" Warrick asked, his eyes pleading.

"Warrick. I'm gay. It has taken me thirty-two years to finally be comfortable in my own skin. I lost my childhood and teenage years being a fake. I didn't know that this was going to happen, but it is something that I am totally comfortable with. I'm happy with Greg. He's my everything."

"Couldn't a woman be your everything?"

"At one time yes, but I couldn't control my feelings for Greg any longer. He's funny, outrageous, a pain in the ass and stubborn but I love him with all my heart. And I hope that one day you can accept that."

"And I hope that one day, I can too." Warrick said as he looked away from Nick and back at the paper. Nick sighed in discontent and got up to leave.

"Oh, Nick. Tina wants to have people over for breakfast tomorrow morning. You and Greg are welcomed."

"Thanks man." and with that Nick left with silent tears and large grin on his face, maybe everything would be alright now. Maybe.

The day went by in a blur for both Nick and Greg. The case was red hot still and they were no where near finding a suspect. The tension between Nick and Warrick started to dissipate slightly, but the uncomfortable silences were almost too much to bear. Catherine was all ecstatic over the events of the day, although a little disheartened by Warrick's reaction. Sara was pissed because she came in for lunch with Gil and found out everything that had happened and she was pissed she missed it and Nick and Greg both heard it from her. Just as the day couldn't get any better or any worse, it did. Nick got suspended for insubordination with Eckley and for the first time in his professional career.

"Nick, you can fight him on it, he crossed the line." persuaded Greg to his boyfriend as Nick was changing out of his lab coat in the locker room.

"G, it's no big deal. Three days off, it's almost ideal." Nick laughed. Greg couldn't be sure if he was trying to convince himself or him.

"Nick, if we solve this case, you're name won't be on the investigator list. The evidence you collected will be handed over to someone else. Do you want to be completely written off the case?"

"No, but just think of it this way, when you're in court testifying to the blood samples of all the victims and when everyone else is there being ripped to shreds defending their forensics, I'll be either home or here on another case."

"Your willing to throw away the biggest case of the year and possibly the best thing for your career because you might get another day off when it goes to trial in about year?" Greg was angry.

"G, there are things in life we can't control. The two of us know this better than anyone around here. I'm accepting my fate." Nick slammed his locker shut and fished his car keys out of his brown suede jacket. "I'll see you home." Nick reached over and pecked Greg on the cheek and walked out of the locker room.

"God damn it, Ecklie!" Greg yelled loudly as he kicked a locker. "God damn it."

**Sorry for the delay in the updates. Things have been hectic here with impending Graduation (June 3, 2006!). But more updates will be more prevalent. There will only be about three to five more chapters in this story with a sequel in the works. I hope you all enjoyed and please Review! My goal is 100 reviews before I complete this story! Thanks, Damien455**


	31. For Better or Worse

1**_Love Is Not A Crime_**

Disclaimer: See Chapter one

**Author's Note: I apologize full heartedly for the huge gap in updates. This chapter is shorter than usual and is mainly a filler before the huge final chapter. The next two part chapter will be the last two in this story. Again, I am sorry and I hope that you all stick with this story even after a five month lapse. **

**Sorry again, Your author: Damien455**

Chapter Thirty-One: **_For Better or Worse_**

Date: December 31, 2004

"Come on, Greg! We're going to be late!" Nick yelled from the kitchen. Nick was sitting at the kitchen table, impatiently awaiting the completion of Greg's 'masterpiece' also known as his hair. Nick sat, his legs crossed, in a black suit with a white shirt and pale blue tie. He sat drumming his fingers on the table as he watched the clock through his glasses.

"Greg, we have to be there in twenty-five minutes!" he yelled again, hoping that Greg would finish with his hair.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. You sound like an old woman late for her four o'clock early bird dinner." Greg said as he entered the kitchen of their home. He was dressed similar but with a blood red tie. His brown hair gelled in a rather tasteful and elegant look. "I'm kind of thinking going blonde again.." he said as he placed his wallet, that was on the table, in his right back pocket.

"You dyed it brown three weeks ago, if you keep dying it, it's going to fall the out." Nick said, getting up and grabbing the keys off the counter.

"Your car?" Greg asked, ignoring Nick's comment.

"Yeah, now let's go. I hope Catherine saved us a seat." Nick worried.

"I'm sure she did. Did we get them a gift?"

"I got them a gift. I need you to sign the card in the car. Now let's go!" Nick said, opening the door, and motioning for Greg to leave. Greg rolled his eyes and went out the door into the mild December temperatures.

"What did we get them, a crock pot?" Greg laughed as he went towards the car. Nick was locking the door.

"I just wrote a check so they can use it for whatever they want. Not to mention, she had no bridal registry." Nick said as he clicked the button to the disengage the alarm.

"How much?" Greg asked seriously, knowing their financial situation.

"Does it matter?" Nick said averting the truth.

"Nick, how much did you write a check for?" his tone hard and stern.

"A thousand." Nick said quietly.

"A thousand! Nick, what were you thinking! We don't have that kind of money to throw around right now!"

"Greg, it's from my account not the joint account. It wanted to give them something substantial."

"Substantial? Substantial! We might as well file for bankruptcy!"

"Oh please, now your being slightly over dramatic." Nick said in a sarcastic tone.

"Nick, babe, I'm taking a five thousand dollar pay cut so I can start my CSI training. Which if you don't remember, starts the first of the new year. Also known as tomorrow!"

"Greg, I understand that. Trust me, I really do. I just want to be respectful."

"What is with you and Texas charm, it's irresistible and highly annoying at times. But this is Grissom and Sara we're talking about. A do it yourself chemistry kit would have been good enough, but a thousand dollars!"

"Greg, we'll be fine. I have more than enough for us to live off of."

"That's the thing, Nick, I don't want to live off you forever. I want to take you out to dinner once. You always pay and it makes me feel like I'm not good enough for you."

"Don't say stuff like that. I do everything for you because for the first time in my life, I have someone to treat like this."

"And I thought I wouldn't cry until the wedding." Greg joked lightly as he reached across the car and kissed Nick lightly on the cheek.

"Yeah, well you better not cry at this wedding." Nick said as he pulled out of the driveway.

"How much bribing do you think it took Gris and Sara to actually make Catherine let them use her backyard for this."

"One night off a week, and one day a week with regular nine to five hours for the next month." Nick said as he switched on his signal light and turned left.

"You're kidding." Greg smiled.

"No, Catherine told me yesterday. And Gris bought it."

"Wow, maybe we should have offered to have it here." Greg laughed.

"Yeah, and where would we have it? The parking lot? The laundry room? Our apartment is too small even for the group to visit all at once."

"Maybe we should get a house."

Nick looked over a Greg. "You're joking."

"No, Nicky, I'm not. Maybe we should get a house, I've been thinking about it lately and the lease is up on the apartment in March. We have three months to find somewhere nice to live."

"Why don't we re-lease it?"

"Because the lease is going up thirteen hundred dollars, and with a house we won't have to pay for it every month."

"We will if we have to get a loan or mortgage."

"We buy it in full. I mean, come on, you're Nick Stokes, rich man walking."

"Greg, I'm not rich, my families rich." Nick said in an agitated tone.

"But don't you have a trust fund?" Greg stated remembering the discussion of the trust fund in Nick's name equaling a grand total of one million dollars.

"I had a trust fund."

"Where did it go?" Greg asked confused.

"My dad divided it up between my sisters and brother when he found out I was gay. I never told you."

"You never told me that? Why the hell didn't you tell me that!" Greg yelled angrily.

"Because for the first time in our relationship, I was ashamed."

"You were ashamed? Ashamed of what? ME?" Greg roared angrily.

"Babe, let's not fight." Nick pleaded.

"No, not until you answer me. Were you ashamed of me?"

"No, yes, kind of. I don't know." Nick said regretfully.

"It's a yes or no answer, Nick."

"It's complicated." Nick said as he steadily pressed on the gas pedal.

"Complicated? Nick, nothing's complicated unless you make it complicated." Greg snarled as he turned and looked out the window at the strip.

"Growing up and having these feelings, that you so desperately try to ignore, took it's toll on me. I was always the one in the family that had the emotional problems. The over sensitive one, the one who had to help everyone before he helped himself. That's why I concealed my sexuality from my parents, I had to help them portray the happy Stokes family, where everyone was someone. I was the damaged child, and always have been." Nick yelled at Greg.

"Nick, I understand why you feel like this, I really do. But it is about time that you argue with your parents. I do not want to come off as money hungry, but this is ridiculous! That was your money!"

"That's my dad's money. We don't inherit it until he passes!" Nick said keeping his eyes on the road.

"Nick, I just don't know you keep everything to yourself. We're a team. It's you and me. You don't have to keep things from me." Greg said, his anger and annoyance starting to dissipate.

"Greg, I love you." Nick said making a left turn.

"And I love you." Greg said, looking out the window.

Nick couldn't help but feel like something was wrong. Not with just him and Greg but with the day in general.

READ AND REVIEW please! Thanks! –D455.


	32. Amends

1**_Love Is Not A Crime_**

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

**Author's Note: I'm sorry for the delay. I wanted to get this chapter just right. This is the last chapter of this story! The chapter to follow will be an epilogue of sorts leading into the sequel, _Merge into You_, which will be published sometime in the next week. Review Please! **

Chapter Thirty-Two: **_Amends _**

Date: December 31, 2004

Mrs. Stokes sat at the kitchen table of her Dallas estate. Her hair perfectly coiffed and a cup of steaming tea by her side. In front of her sat a pile of Christmas cards left unopened. She was never the one to procrastinate but as with every holiday she finds it too much of an inconvenience to waste time on the more mundane things.

The first card was from her sister in San Antonio. She pushed it aside and right into the trash pile she had started. The second came from her eldest daughter's in-laws. She too threw that in the trash pile.

The third card is what caught her eye. She knew the handwriting on the red envelope. It was the handwriting of her son; the sinner and the forgotten. She tore open the back and pulled out a car and another envelope. She opened the card and read a simple introduction: Mom and Dad. She read some more: Happy Holidays; a simple Hallmark card he picked up at the local pharmacy. She read his messy handwriting, Merry Christmas! Love, Nick and her eyes stopped at the handwriting not of her son, but of his lover. A loopy script that was not of elegance: Greg. She looked at the card in disdain as she put it down and reached for the second envelope.

Nick's handwriting once again: Mom. She opened the back with her letter opener and pulled out a piece of notebook paper and a photograph. She unfolded the notebook paper and read:

_Mom,_

_Merry Christmas! I'm sure you already know that I will not be joining you in Texas for the Holidays. Not because I choose not to be there but because I have to work. I'm not going to pretend that there is nothing wrong between us. However, I am writing this in an attempt to perhaps clear the air. _

_I know what I dropped on you and Dad and the rest of the family was a bombshell of nuclear proportions. I won't deny that. I am sorry that I had to do that, but to be true to me and to be true to Greg, I had to. I spent too many years lying to myself and others simply because I was afraid. I was afraid of society and more importantly, Mom, I was afraid of disappointing you. Disappointment you and Dad have made well known in the past couple of weeks. It broke my heart to hear you and Dad disapprove of me. Your son, the one in which you took so much pride in when I was younger. I didn't do this to hurt you, I did this so I wouldn't hurt myself anymore. _

_You and Dad have been excellent parents to me. You two have given me everything I ever needed in life. A home, a family, money and more importantly, Mom, you gave me love. Love is the reason we haven't spoken for more than twenty seconds in the past couple of weeks. I love Greg. As much as I want to scream, Deal with it, it at you, I know it wouldn't change anything. I love Greg so much simply because I let myself love him and he let himself love me. The one thing you always preached when I was growing up was that I could love anyone I chose to. And I did just that, Mom. I chose to love Greg. _

_He's a wonderful person and he makes me happy. I hope that one day you can see that. Mommy, I love you. Nothing will ever change that. _

_But is there a chance that maybe you can love me now, the way you did…then? _

_Love Always, Nicky. _

Mrs. Stokes wiped a tear from eye as she read the heart felt words of her son. She reached for the picture and turned it over and looked at it. It was Nick and Greg at a water park. They were close together and their arms around each other and both were smiling. She was able to see into the eyes of her son. She didn't see red eye but she saw life.

It was at that moment, she reached for the phone.

…….

The Justice of the Peace looked at the crowd in Catherine's backyard and excitedly proclaimed, "Dr and Mrs. Gil Grissom!" And the crowd erupted in applause.

That was the scene a few short hours ago, Greg thought to himself as he chugged another glass of champagne. He sat a small rounded table with Catherine, to his left, Lindsay, next to her, then Warrick and Tina surprise, they're still together, was another thought in Greg's head and finally Nick, to his right.

"Who thinks Sara will keep her last name?" Warrick proposed.

"She'll definitely keep it." Greg was first to respond.

"No, she'll definitely take Grissom's because it shows her connection to him. Perfect motive to keep Ecklie away." Nick offered up.

"Ten on Sidle." Greg smirked as he threw in a ten dollar bill.

"Ten on Grissom." Nick smirked back and threw in a twenty and took the ten.

"Ten on a hyphenate." Catherine smiled.

'Ten on Sidle." Warrick said throwing in his money.

"You guys are horrible. It's wrong to be betting on co-workers." Tina quipped.

"Tina, we do this all the time." Catherine smiled as she collected the money and put it in an envelope labeled "Bet" that she had conveniently in her purse.

"I still think it's wrong." She said, and Catherine glared.

The group was enjoying their friendship and happiness for their friends when a phone started to ring. Everyone looked at each other and Nick pulled his cell phone from his suit pocket and looked at the caller ID. He sighed and pushed ignore and placed it back in his pocket.

"Your mother?" Greg asked.

"Yeah." Nick replied sipping his champagne.

"She's called at least three times today." Greg noted.

"Seven to be exact." Nick said.

"Nick, call her back." Greg said.

"Why?"

"Nick, something could be up. Just call her would you." Greg said with annoyance.

Catherine looked at them, sensing the tension that remained after their "fight" earlier that day.

"Whatever." Nick said, finishing his drink.

"Nicky, you can go inside and use my bedroom to get some privacy." Catherine offered and Nick silently nodded and left the table.

"Uncle Greg?" Lindsay spoke.

"Yeah, Linds?"

"Are you and Uncle Nicky fighting?"

"No, sweetheart, we aren't." Greg reassured the thirteen year old, and looked over and watched his boyfriend's back walked up the stairs towards the house.

Nick walked through the house and noticed the caterers bustling around to get dessert ready. Empty bottles of champagne piling sky high as more and more were brought out. He looked around, his heart feeling empty at the sight of something he would never have.

He found Catherine's room with ease and shut the door. He looked around the room and decided to sit on the end of the bed and pulled out his phone. One Missed Call: Mom.

He took a deep breath and pressed Send. It was ringing: once, twice, three times. He was connected.

"Hello?" His mother asked.

"Mom?" Nick said with little feeling.

"Nicky, I tried calling you numerous times today. Where are you? Work?"

"No, Mom, I am at a wedding."

"Oh, who's getting married?"

"Grissom and Sara, Mom, is everything alright?"

"Yes, why wouldn't it be?"

"You called seven times. I wanted to make sure everything was alright." Nick was getting frustrated.

"I wanted to tell you I read your card, today."

"Oh." Nick breathed.

"Nicholas, I read that letter you wrote to me, and I can't say that I wasn't moved."

"What's that suppose to mean Mom?"

'Nicholas, can you not be so defensive for just a moment and let me explain?" She scolded and Nick's silence confirmed an answer.

"I cried, Nicholas, and I never cry. I can't say that I am able to accept you and Greg as a relationship, just yet. But I am willing to try. Reading your words and seeing just happy you were in that photo was enough to tell me that I was letting my preconceived notions in the way of what truly mattered here. And that is you, Nicholas. You matter to me because you are my son and I shouldn't let this affect that. I can't say the same for your father though. He was pretty angry when you told him."

"Mom, as much as that means to me, and it means a lot, I need Dad to be okay with this."

'Nicky, your father will take more time. I showed him the letter and the photo and he said nothing to me."

"Dad's just pissed that I didn't turn out like him, like Daniel did."

"Nicholas, don't drag your brother into this. Are you mad about the trust fund?"

"Yes, Mom, I am mad about the trust fund!" Nick exclaimed, tears starting to form in his brown orbs.

"I have no control over the finances."

"I know you don't Mom, but I wanted that money."

"Nicholas, you're beginning to sound selfish."

"It's not like that Mom. I want it because I want to give Greg something special."

"And what is that?"

"I wanted, for Christmas, to buy a house for Greg and myself. I had been convincing him for months that we didn't have enough money and I was going to buy it and surprise him. And I can't do that because I don't have that extra money to do so. You know I told him just this morning about the trust fund. Something that I should have done a month ago but it didn't, because it made my convincing him that we didn't have the money true! I'm thirty-three years old, Mom, and I have finally found my true love and I can't give them what they really want…do you know how much that hurts me, Mom?" Nick poured out, tears running down his face.

"Don't cry, Nicholas. I will talk to your father. And that is a very noble thing you were willing to do for him."

"I love him, Mommy. I love him with all my heart and soul! And I want Dad to realize that."

"I think your Dad realizes it but just isn't ready to acknowledge it."

"He has too because I can't live knowing that Daddy is mad at me. We haven't talked since I told him."

"Nicholas, it comes with time. It comes with time. When your Dad is ready, you will know."

"And if he's never ready?" Nick choked out.

"Then we'll take it from there." His mother spoke softly.

"Mommy, for the first time in thirty-three years, I am happy." Nick looked at himself in Catherine's mirror. He was a mess right now. His eyes bloodshot and tears still erupting.

"Nicholas, I'm going to send you a check. Your father won't know about it just yet. I want you to be happy, baby. You know that. I never told you this or any of your brother or sisters but you was always my favorite. You always had this moral compass guiding you through life; the same one that allows you to work with the dead every day and care about them and not your own job advancement. I'm proud of you, Nicholas."

"Mommy, I'm so sorry." Nick sobbed even harder into the phone. He was losing control of the unshed tears he had in his heart.

"Don't apologize. Now go and have a good time with at the wedding."

"Alright, Mom. I love you."

"I love you too, Nicholas. Happy New Year!"

"You too Mom, thank you for everything."

"Now Go. Call me tomorrow." His Mom said before hanging up the phone.

Nick closed his phone and placed back into his pocket and cried hysterically. The tears and the sobbing kept coming. He wasn't upset. He was finally happy.

Nick rejoined the party at quarter to twelve.

He observed everyone as he walked into the brisk December air. He saw tons of fellow lab workers enjoying themselves; laughing and smiling. He saw Warrick and Tina flirting as they sipped their champagne. Catherine was laughing with Greg as he told her a story. Lindsay was sitting there; laughing and yawning.

"Hey!" Catherine exclaimed drunkenly as Nick approached their table.

"You were gone a while. Everything okay?" she asked as Nick sat down and poured himself a glass of champagne.

"Everything is fine." He smiled. Greg looked at him and smiled.

The two reached forward for a kiss but were interrupted by Sara's scream!

The two pulled apart and stared at the radiant bride standing in front of a large flat screen TV.

"Thirty seconds!" she screamed excitedly. Everyone stood up and headed towards were her and Gil were excited, their champagne glasses in hand. Nick and Greg grabbed a hold of each other's hands.

"TEN, NINE, EIGHT, SEVEN, SIX, FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE!!!" Everyone cheered excitedly as they cheered on the New Year to a syndicated version of Dick Clark's Rockin' New Years Eve in New York City.

Everyone raised their glasses and shouted, "2005!" and sipped their drinks.

Nick and Greg looked into each others eyes and reached forward and their lips made contact. "I love you." Nick whispered in Greg's ear as he pulled Greg closer into a tight embrace followed by a passionate kiss. "Forever."

**The End….**

_Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed this story! I never expected this story to be the success it was when I first wrote this in 2004. Now that 2007 has started it is clear that Nick and Greg are not just a fiction category but the passion of many. Please review and look for Merge Into You, the sequel to Love is Not a Crime. Thank you, Damien455…_

_Happy New Year to all! May 2007 keep you safe and happy._


	33. Epilogue of Sorts

1**_Love Is Not A Crime_**

Disclaimer: See Chapter One

**Author's Note: This chapter is an epilogue for Love is Not a Crime, and a glimpse into what Merge into You will have in store for Nick and Greg. Again, this is the final update for Love Is Not a Crime, and please follow on with the sequel. Thank You. It is written in Nick's point of view. **

Chapter Thirty-Three: **_Epilogue of Sorts_**

A lot has changed since my mother extended the olive branch to me on New Years Eve. Not only has she made strides to make Greg one of the family, she has renewed an interest in my life not just for her and my father but for all my siblings as well. Though uneasy at first, my siblings finally accepted that Greg and I were partners: not just a phase but for life.

Greg has taken on the job as a level one CSI, and I couldn't be more proud of him. He has truly made the transition for lab tech to crime scene investigator very well. He however has not lost his zaniness or his whims to change hair color He's blonde again!.

In February 2005, I surprised Greg on our eighth month anniversary. He was in shock for about three days. We actually had an address together not just an apartment number. That's right. I bought us a house. My mother sent me a check for two hundred grand and it was well spent on the fabulous house we call our home. A two floor white house with green shutters and a two car garage in Henderson. We live about twenty minutes from the lab, which is a downside but the upside is the neighborhood is safe.

Tina and Warrick are still together and Catherine is still pining away for Warrick. Will he ever notice?

In the end, Sara took hyphenated her last name. So she became Sara Sidle-Grissom, and Catherine was forty-dollars richer. Sara gave birth to a bouncing baby boy, Elliot, in June. I'm the godfather and Catherine is the godmother. That boy is a handful and we can already tell he's going to be like his father…that bug fascination.

Greg and I celebrated one year in May. Not much there, just lots of sex and presents. I truly love him and I think I've always known that. He is the greatest human being alive and I couldn't be more proud of him.

However the good comes with the bad.

I was kidnapped three days after our one year anniversary. I was buried alive for hours on end and was nearly driven to suicide. I suffered bites from red ants. I suffered nightmares, which still plague me to this day. And I now have a fear of the color green. I survived that ordeal because Greg loves me. And I will always love him.

Which is why our lives are only just beginning…?


End file.
